


What If (This Happened)?

by alcrevier



Category: Pretty Little Liars
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2018-07-28
Packaged: 2018-08-13 01:10:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 49
Words: 82,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7956319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alcrevier/pseuds/alcrevier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of small scenarios/one-shots/prompts, just because I think Emison has great potential for short side-stories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My spin on the 7x10 couch scene (and I’d use the trademark emoji here if I could).

The sound of an old, black and white movie rumbles on in front of them, though they’re not really paying attention. It’s not like they’re watching the film for entertainment, anyways; really, it’s just to distract them from what’s really gnawing away at them. A couple of hours have passed since Alison dropped that giant bombshell on Emily, not that the blonde girl expects much from anyone when it comes to the situation ━ and it’s not in a “You’d never help me” type of way; Alison simply just… doesn’t want to ask for any favors. She’s always been like that, you know; she has to do everything on her own, and maybe it’s to prove something to somebody ━ or, well, possibly it’s just to prove something to herself.  _ “You’ve been through a lot worse,” _ Alison always reminds herself, though those words are starting to get pretty damn heavy.

Emily, on the other hand, doesn’t mind helping Alison out. In fact, she practically lives off of feeling needed and, honestly, she loves it. Sure, they’ve been through hell and back together, and the others may not understand why the brunette still tends to her old (or current?) lover’s every desire, but Emily wouldn’t have it any other way ━ and maybe that’s why she’s currently practically pressed against the blonde while they sit awkwardly upon the DiLaurentis’ living room couch, making sure that the other girl feels…  _ safe _ . 

It isn’t until Alison starts gently pressing against her own stomach with a few teardrops falling that Emily realizes,  _ “Well, maybe she doesn’t feel all that safe,”  _ so she shifts along her couch cushion, causing the other girl to turn around when she feels the sudden movement ━ and it’s likely because she  _ knows  _ Emily wants to comfort her since she’s been caught with tears rolling down her cheeks. 

“Hey,” the brunette uses her thumb to wipe a stray tear as the other girl looks at her, “it’s gonna be okay.”

Alison stares at her for a moment, wondering if it really will be okay or not, but ultimately deciding that, if there’s any possibility of things working out in her favor, then she’s going to have to start working with her feelings rather than against them.  _ “Denial will get you nowhere,”  _ is another thing she’s often reminded herself, but she’s always fallen short in the execution.

So, without giving herself time to think any harder, Alison’s eyes flicker to the other girl’s lips and she leans in slowly, closing her eyes when she’s in close proximity ━ just a precaution since she wouldn’t be able to handle any form of rejection ━ not tonight. 

Their lips meet and Alison swears she can feel Emily kiss her back for a brief moment, but it’s over before she can even melt into the kiss because, within seconds, the brunette is pulling back with a slight look of warning mixed with, well, sympathy. 

“Ali,” Emily sounds regretful, and Alison can’t tell if it’s because she feels angry with herself for pulling away, or maybe because she feels like━

“You’re really vulnerable right now,” and there it is; there’s the assumption that Alison only semi-prepared for and, honestly, it’s not that she’s  _ not  _ vulnerable, but it isn’t the reason why she feels the strongest need to communicate with Emily through sealed lips. 

Alison sits there, barely breathing and staring into Emily’s eyes, trying to somehow explain herself without the words that she can never seem to find ━  _ ever _ . So, before another second passes by, Alison tries a simple “That’s not why, I promise” in hopes that the brunette will understand that she’s never been the best with explaining herself, and maybe it’ll always be that way, even if she’ll try in due time;  _ “Just… please, Em. I’ve been thinking about this for a while, and I hope we’ll discuss what we are or may be. It’s different this time, I promise,”  _ Alison’s body language pleads.

When Emily’s lips part at the admission, Alison can practically see the wheels in her head turning as the brunette looks towards the floor, too timid to meet her blonde lover’s gaze in fear that, just maybe, she’s lying like she used to. But she’s not, and Emily understands that once she looks back into those blue eyes, flickering closed when Alison’s leaning in again and, eventually, pressing their lips together like previously. This time, however, Emily allows herself to melt into the kiss, almost feeling her mouth curve into a small smile as Alison’s mouth is against her own, and her hand moves to the blonde’s jaw to deepen the lip lock.

All remaining thoughts dissipate when Alison, herself, shifts her body forwards so she’s closer to Emily, hoping that, maybe, her nerves will soon disappear so she isn’t afraid of what could possibly happen tonight ━ or any other night, actually. She doesn’t move her hands out of her lap for an entire minute (or maybe even longer), because she doesn’t want to seem too eager or too pushy but, when their lips depart and they rest their foreheads against one another, they each see a form of desperation located somewhere within their eyes. It isn’t the kind of desperation like it had been five years ago when Alison  _ needed  _ Emily’s tenderness; it’s like… Alison is desperate and genuinely thankful that Emily has been there for her through thick and thin, whether or not there have been bumps along the way ━ really, she’s determined to prove that she, too, has changed, and she’s finally coming to terms with what they are, what they could be, and what they’ve been all along. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fluff-infused morning before work at Rosewood High ━ Takes place after 7x10.

“Em,” the brunette feels her body rocking back and forth as she gets pulled out of her sweet dreams. 

She shifts against the mattress she’s become accustomed to ━ not to mention Alison’s bedspread ━ and rubs at her face repeatedly as the rocking sensation starts back up.

“Emily,” this time, the voice is more stern, and there’s no doubt that it’s Alison’s voice. 

The other girl sleepily groans in response, and it’s more curious sounding than irritated, so the blonde chuckles. Emily feels the edge of the mattress in front of her dip slightly, followed by a few pokes to the shoulder. The brunette shakes her head in response, furrowing her eyebrows as she tries to force herself back to sleep.

“You’re going to be late for your first day,” the other girl’s voice sounds sweet, but no doubt she’s partially annoyed that Emily simply refuses to move ━ and  _ today _ , of all days.

“I thought I was done waking up for school when I  _ finished  _ school,” she breathes out and Alison rolls her eyes.

Emily shifts again, this time flopping onto her back as she opens one eye to look at the girl sitting on the edge of the bed, eyebrow raised. The brunette closes her eye once more, breathing out a small laugh when she hears Alison grunt.

“Are you going to be like this  _ every  _ morning, Em?” she asks pointedly. “If so, I might just rethink this living arrangement.” 

“I’m just tired,” Emily rubs at her face again. “I didn’t sleep much.”

“I’m sorry…” Alison shyly looks away.

The other girl smiles, “Don’t be sorry. I enjoy spending time with you.”

The blonde quirks an eyebrow at the girl who remains lying against the mattress, a smirk slowly covering her features. They look at one another for a second or two, just holding a silent conversation with their eyes ━ though, not for long, since Emily still can’t really keep hers open.

“Come on. Get up,” Alison tries to stand but Emily reaches for her hand in order to stop her.

It works, and the brunette goes to say something but can’t find the words, so Alison continues to search the girl’s face for any answer, yet discovers none. When another minute passes, the blonde understands that whatever the other girl was trying to say is now a lost cause, and Alison chews on her lower lip for a split second. After, she timidly leans over Emily and presses a small kiss to her lips, partially pulling away once it’s over. Their eyes lock again, and this time it’s Emily who closes the distance, making sure to let the other girl know that it’s a mutual desire. They kiss for an extended amount of time ━ though not much since,  _ really _ , they need to get ready for work. It takes every ounce of willpower for Emily to pull away, but she does, and that’s when they both (slowly) stand up. Emily stretches as Alison looks at her, and she doesn’t miss the fact that the blonde’s eyes flicker to her stomach when her shirt raises a bit, a slight blush covering her cheeks as she clears her throat. 

“So, is that the only thing that’ll get you out of bed every morning?” Alison attempts to regain her signature teasing personality, but she’s thrown off when Emily matches it.

“I guess we’ll have to find out,” she shrugs, brushing past the other girl so she can shower.

Alison remains standing in the same spot, a gentle smile on her face as she looks at the floor and, eventually, turns to see Emily no longer in the room. 

 

X X X 

 

They don’t take long to get ready, overall. In fact, it takes much less time than it used to considering the fact that 1) Alison was already partially ready when she woke Emily up and 2) the brunette technically has a slight uniform now-a-days, so she really only needs to pick out a shirt (which will be covered by her coaching jacket) and pants. 

The two stand in the kitchen; Alison walks around creating a small lunch whereas Emily eats a cereal bar, her eyes still looking tired which the blonde noted time and time again while they were upstairs. 

“Are you sure you don’t want me to pack you something to eat? It’s really no problem,” Alison side-eyes the other girl who finishes her food. 

“No thanks,” Emily shakes her head.

“Are you nervous?” she asks with a knowing smile, turning around and mocking Emily’s position as she leans against the countertop directly across from the brunette. 

“Kind of,” comes the mumble. 

“You’ll do great. They’re lucky to have you as a coach. Both the swim team and the school.”

“It’s just been so long…”

“I believe in you, Em. Trust me, no one is more loyal…” she trails off. “Dedicated, I mean.”

“I know what you meant,” Emily smiles softly. “Thank you.”

A heavy wall of silence is built between the two within seconds, and they eye one another every now and again, though neither of them want to voice what they’re thinking. It takes another minute, a few sighs, and awkward shifting for Alison to break the tension.

“What are we?” her voice is almost inaudible, but Emily hears it crystal clear and, immediately, her eyes snap to Alison’s curious blue ones. 

The brunette swallows hard, “I don’t know,” she matches the other girl with the same, timid tone. 

Alison nods her head and crosses her arms, leaning further against the counter as if she was trying to disappear into the storage. 

“Do you want us to be a ‘we’?” Emily’s eyes dance between the kitchen floor and Alison’s face, wondering if she shouldn’t have asked the question since, well, they’re supposed to be leaving soon, and who knows if this’ll open a whole new can of worms. 

“I…” the blonde opens her mouth and closes it right after, biting her inner cheek, “I would like to try.”

It catches the other girl off guard, that’s for sure, and she scans Alison’s face for any evidence of storytelling and/or indecisiveness, but finds nothing, so she sighs heavily and worries at her bottom lip. 

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve been sure for a while now,” Alison matches the sigh, her arms falling at her sides. “I just figured  _ you  _ probably wouldn’t because of…  _ everything _ .”

“What do you mean?” her forehead creases.

Alison just shoots her a “you know what I mean” expression, and Emily looks away.

“You’re not the same person, Ali. We all know that.”

“I’m not only talking about years ago,” she shakes her head. “Everything including what’s happening right now, what happened recently, your breakup with Sabrina, everything with Archer…”

Emily shakes her head harder than the other girl, “None of that is a factor, I promise. Please don’t think I’d walk away because of━”

“I know you wouldn’t,” she smiles sadly, “but I guess I’m just wondering  _ why  _ you wouldn’t.”

The brunette swallows hard again, smiling slightly, but looks around the room; she knows what she  _ wants  _ to say, but she can’t just come out and say it ━ this isn’t the right time. 

“Because I’d like to try too,” she settles on saying, and Alison purses her lips.

“Okay,” the blonde nods with a shy smile, though they both stand there awkwardly for moments after, just staring at one another. 

When Alison is about to speak again, Emily’s phone alarm rings to notify her that it’s time to head down to Rosewood High, and she grunts. Alison chuckles in response to the girl’s reaction, pushing herself away from the counter and heading over to the front door with her keys. 

“You’re carpooling with me, right?” she smirks when the brunette is finally next to her. 

“Do you want me to?”

“Mhm.”

Emily nods when Alison turns to face her, still standing in front of the closed door. At first, the brunette is confused as to why she’s just being stared at, almost as if she’s being read, but her internal questions are answered when Alison finally leans forward and connects their lips again, this time pressing her body closer to Emily’s. The other girl’s desire to bring them even closer grows by the passing seconds, so she cups the blonde’s jaw and kisses her harder, all the while forgetting about what time it is until her alarm goes off again.

“You should probably shut that off,” Alison backs up an inch, attempting to control herself so they can leave once and for all. 

It (unfortunately) works, in the end, because Emily creates more distance between them as she huffs and taps away at her phone screen, eventually shutting off the second alarm. She offers Alison a tight-lipped smile and opens the door for the girl, earning a soft “Thank you” as they step outside together and make their way down to the high school. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Send me ideas if you'd like. Usually, I save them all in a file and I'll comb through them and write in my spare time (which I'll have more of once I'm finished writing my new multi-chapter). I'll accept ideas via anon, as well, on Tumblr ("capn-charlie"), or over PM on here, etc.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily and Alison pay a visit to The Kissing Rock ━ Sometime after 7x10; based on Marlene's recent Emily quote, which can be found on her Twitter (and I'd link you but this site doesn't let me properly).

Emily and Alison rest atop a pretty substantial landmark when it comes to their relationship: The Kissing Rock. 

A few hours ago, the two decided to take a walk, just to spend some relaxing time together. At first, they agreed on just making a round through Alison’s neighborhood, however,  _ somehow _ , they ended up traveling along a dirt path ━ that same, known, dirt path ━ until they ended up here. Upon seeing the boulder, the two girls smiled and slightly blushed, conversing nervously without even speaking as Alison circled the area known as their spot. She bent down and traced their initials, smiling before replacing the expression with something much less defined. Next, they sat upon the stone, Alison facing north-east whereas Emily faced north-west, their fingers only brushing against each other for the time-being.

For five, long minutes, neither girl speaks. It’s not awkward or uncomfortable, but they take in the atmosphere which had drastically changed once they stepped foot along the crunchy leaves lying upon the ground. 

“You know… I used to wonder if this place meant the same to us,” Alison’s expression is unreadable once she breaks the silence. “Not because I feel like you forgot about it, but because you  _ wanted  _ to forget.”

Emily purses her lips and looks down. The other girl sits next to her, motionless as she’s afraid to speak any more than she already had. Sure, things between them have been…  _ progressing _ , to say the least, but Alison always finds herself facing constant reminders of the kind of person she used to be ━ and she’ll be damned if she ignores the fact that Emily, most likely, remembers it as well. 

The brunette’s eyes wander to the other girl’s body language before she speaks, a cautious tone laced throughout the question.

“What does this place mean to you?”

Alison stiffens up partially, taken completely off-guard by the question. Nevertheless, she answers, swallowing hard before she finds the strength to voice her thoughts.

“I can’t exactly pinpoint a specific meaning,” she shakes her head, “but it makes me feel… weightless, I guess. As we sit here,” a soft laugh passes her lips, “I don’t know. Almost like every emotion I had back then is returning but, this time, I’m not shoving them into the back of my mind. I’m letting myself feel.”

Emily nods softly, taking her hands into her own lap and playing with her fingers. Alison waits for a response but it doesn’t exactly come quick. In fact, another two minutes pass before the brunette lets out a soft laugh of her own, rubbing her palms along her jeans in slight nervousness.

“I had a dream about us. Being here,” she elaborates. “I guess I’ve always looked at it as my safe space, maybe. Every time something bad or crazy happens, I just want to come back here.”

“Have you?” Alison furrows her eyebrows, slightly turning her body so she can face the other girl easier. “I mean, have you come back here?”

“A couple times,” Emily sighs. “I don’t know what I thought would happen. Maybe I felt like it’d make me feel better about everything, but…” her voice trails off.

“Everything such as what?”

The brunette shrugs, sighing, “Everything that’s happened. The time we lost, I guess, or how we all got lost, ourselves.”

Alison hastily nods her head, trying to understand as much as she can. She internally rolls her eyes at herself for being able to read and comprehend Shakespeare, yet Emily’s words confuse her more than ever nowadays. 

“I’m sorry. I’m rambling,” Emily looks down at her hands. 

“No, don’t be sorry,” Alison shakes her head. “I just wish I knew what to say.” 

“Me too.”

“Sometimes I wish we could re-do everything,” the blonde confesses out of nowhere. “Things would have been so much different.”

The other girl turns her body so they can completely face one another, both girls studying each other’s face with parted lips. Alison tilts her head slightly and looks down, visibly weighing every current, possible option for them. On the inside, everything feels easy; Alison and Emily both feel so  _ deeply  _ for each other, and they could, in fact, make things work if they tried. Unfortunately, outside forces don’t always work in their favor, and who’s to say them “trying” things won’t end up in the  _ biggest  _ clusterfuck? Alison doesn’t want to lose Emily ━ she can’t  _ afford  _ it ━ and, well, neither can the other girl.

Alison swallows hard as she regains a shaky eye contact with the girl in front of her, trying her best to keep a hold on the remnants of her confidence, however having an extremely difficult time when more and more thoughts swirl in her mind.

“Em?” the girl’s nickname falls from her lips before she can stop it. 

Emily looks at her, furrowed eyebrows in a curious manner, waiting to hear what Alison is thinking so hard about. 

“Can I…” her blue eyes float downwards before they slam shut, “can I kiss you?”

The brunette doesn’t verbally respond, and she doesn’t even nod, but she gently bites her lower lip when Alison can see the faint blush forming along her cheekbones. The blonde’s eyes flutter shut as she leans forward at an excruciatingly slow rate while the other girl, eventually, meets her halfway.

It doesn’t feel how their kisses have been feeling as of late; their lips move together at a cautious yet sweet rate, and Alison feels herself getting lost in the lip-lock more than usual ━ not to say that she hasn’t particularly enjoyed kissing Emily before this instance; it just feels lighter, and complete, like they’ve gone full circle. 

Emily, on the other hand, gets that childish, butterfly feeling in her stomach, especially when the blonde girl’s hand cups her cheek as she deepens the soft kiss. They briefly part, noses still touching as their eyes remained closed, but their lips only brush against one another, creating a tickling sensation. They both smile into the next kiss, this one much like how they’ve been kissing in recent weeks ━ with desperation yet mutual understanding. Eventually, Emily shifts her body forward so they’re closer while Alison’s hands drift to the back of the girl’s neck, locking her fingers behind. 

Five, perfect minutes pass by until they begrudgingly depart, their eyes flickering open while both girls blush heavily. Alison tries to hide her smile and satisfaction, but Emily sees the expression before the blonde turns away with the clearing of her throat.

Upon seeing Alison’s nervousness, Emily’s hand wanders over to hers, taking it gently as she intertwines their fingers. Alison looks back at Emily, smiling softly as their eyes hold a silent conversation and, perhaps, a solid declaration:  _ “We’ll figure things out.” _


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hanna heads to Rosewood High to surprise Emily, but she ends up leaving with some interesting information instead ━ Set after 7x10; all girls are aware of Alison's pregnancy.

High heels click along the gross, Rosewood High, tiled, hallway floor. Hanna looks down and grimaces, not missing this building one bit. Really, if she thinks about it, she’s shocked that she even found the patience to walk back into this hell-hole, but whatever ━ she’s here now. 

Kids pass her left and right, some laughing loudly while others hug their books close to their chest as they practically run through the front doors. Everything sounds much different now that she’s older and, once again, she wishes she didn’t have to hear the noises at all. What brought her here is none other than Emily Fields. When Hanna found out that Emily successfully earned the job as head swim coach, she was super excited for the brunette; frankly, Emily  _ deserves  _ this job. So, as a spur-the-moment decision, Hanna drove herself to the school, just so she could witness one of her best friends in their prime; she’s missed watching Emily swim (or anything relating), even if she never necessarily understood the sport.

She passes by Alison’s new classroom and peeks inside, though not seeing the other girl anywhere since final period has recently ended, so she probably bolted home as fast as possible. Hanna stops at the classroom door and continues to look into the space, noting the various English literature excerpts strewn across the walls on posters. She shudders. Suddenly, when an interesting student conversation just so happens to flow by as she’s thinking about Alison, she opens her ears to listen. 

“Did you hear about the new swim coach and Mrs. DiLaurentis?” one girl throws over her shoulder while shoving a few books into her locker. 

“I heard they’re sleeping together,” another girl shrugs, leaning her head back against the locker with a grunt. 

“That’s hot,” the group’s third addition, a taller boy, rests his arm on the lockers, staring at the second girl.

“Shut up,” the first girl shakes her head.

Hanna forces herself away from the door and turns around with a friendly smile, walking in the group’s direction as they stare at her with puzzled expressions.

“Hey,” Hanna shakes her head, not really knowing how to communicate with the young students. 

“Um,” she pauses, “I couldn’t help but overhear… um, that’s just a rumor, right?” 

“Well, Alex said he saw them kiss in the parking lot yesterday, but…” the first girl shrugs. 

The second girl looks Hanna up and down, “What’s it to you, anyway?” 

“Don’t be rude,” the boy speaks up and extends a hand out to Hanna, a flirtatious grin on his face. “Hi there. I’m━”

“That’s nice,” Hanna cuts him off. “Well, I used to go here and, I don’t know, rumors were always going around about teachers. How do you know what’s real and what’s a lie?”

They all shrug simultaneously, eyeing Hanna as if she’s rambling.

“We’ve gotta go…” the first girl says and the group shuffles away from Hanna who glares at the back of their heads.

She grunts and continues walking through the now-empty hallway, her thoughts swirling around as she tries to mentally connect the dots of how Emily and Alison have been acting. Before today, she pegged it as comfort, especially since Alison’s baby reveal a few weeks ago. Now, Hanna’s not so sure. Alison and Emily have always been close, and the girls are aware that, at one time, it was much more than platonic, but recently? Hanna shakes her head at the thought; just silly high school rumors making her imagination run wild. Emily would never lie to her; the brunette has always been so open with Hanna, and that’s one of the better traits of their friendship.

The blonde turns the corner and enters the already-open locker room door, coming to a dead stop (almost immediately) when she’s able to peek into Emily’s coaching office. Alison sits on the corner of Emily’s desk, smiling at the brunette who laughs at something while swiveling back and forth in her chair. Hanna moves back a step, making sure to stay hidden as she watches the encounter. At first, she feels guilty for snooping, but then she remembers that, if Alison and Emily  _ are  _ together, then they’ve been hiding things as well. Her eyes narrow as she watches the two, but her gaze widens when she sees Alison lean down and kiss the other girl. It’s not timid or shy ━ the kiss is more heated, which tells Hanna that they’ve been doing this for a while now ━ almost like Alison is completely comfortable. 

Hanna’s lips part and she backs away, speed-walking down the hallway. She pushes through the front door of the school and makes her way back to her car, immediately sliding into the front seat. As the blonde sits, just staring ahead, she takes a few deep breaths as she debates on what to do and/or how to handle the situation. It’s not like she wants to  _ scold  _ Emily (or Alison, for that matter), but she wants to know why they haven’t told her ━  _ or  _ the others. So, without waiting much longer, Hanna pulls her phone out of her purse and sends a text to Emily:

_ “S.O.S. Meet me at Lucas’. I need to talk to you.” _

After Hanna sends the message, she leans her head back at her word choice, but ends up shrugging because, well, it  _ is  _ an S.O.S.-oriented topic, and she  _ does  _ need to talk to Emily. Quickly, she twists her keys in the car’s ignition and speeds off, making sure to be out of sight once Emily and Alison get into the parking lot.

 

X X X

 

Hanna sits on the couch, phone in hand as she scrolls through some social media sites. She arrived back at the loft fairly recently, instantly throwing her purse onto a nearby table and sauntering over to the couch where she’d wait for Emily. 

Suddenly, the door flings open to reveal a slightly disheveled brunette, and Hanna doesn’t know if it’s because of her message or because of━ nevermind. Emily’s eyes flicker around the room, initially not noticing Hanna who sits on the couch with a raised eyebrow. 

“Oh,” Emily breathes out, “there you are.”

Hanna offers her a slight smile, “Here I am.”

The other girl stands across from Hanna, arms crossed with an expectant look written across her features. 

“Well? What’s the S.O.S.?”

“I need to talk to you.”

“I got that much,” Emily nods with a curious eye-narrow.

Hanna sighs, “I was just at Rosewood High. I came to visit you.”

Emily swallows, “Oh? And?”

“I heard some kids talking,” she continues, breathing out a small laugh as she stares at the floor.

The other girl just waits for an explanation. 

“They were talking about you and Alison.”

“What about us?” she looks slightly panicked, but Hanna doesn’t capitalize on the reaction.

“How you two are sleeping together.”

First, Emily’s lips part a fraction, but then she breathes out a shaky laugh and shrugs, confusing the girl who sits on the couch.

“It’s a rumor, Han,” her eyes widen. “High school is full of them. Don’t you remember?” 

The other girl leans forward, “So, you’re denying it then?”

Emily keeps her mouth shut, her jaw shifting as she looks away with no rebuttal. 

“I saw you two. After that, I went into the locker room and━”

The brunette groans, rubbing at her face. 

“I knew I heard someone, but I thought it was just me being paranoid again,” she mumbles.

“Why didn’t you tell me, Em? I’m not mad, but…” Hanna trails off, “we’re supposed to tell each other everything.”

Emily breathes out and moves across the room, eventually sitting next to Hanna on the couch as she folds her hands in her lap.

“We were going to tell you guys at some point,” she confesses, “but I didn’t want to. Not now, at least. I didn’t want you thinking that I’m with her just because of━”

“Em,” Hanna’s voice cuts her off with a disbelieving tone. “I’d never think it’s just because of what’s happening.”

“I thought you would,” she looks down again, evading the other girl’s gaze.

“Why? I know you’ve always had a thing for her. I just didn’t know…” her voice trails off.

“I don’t know, really. I didn’t want you to think she’s using me.”

Hanna shrugs in response, “She’s changed, Emily. We all know that.” 

“No, I know, but… I guess I just thought you’d still think…” she sighs.

The other girl hums before speaking again.

“How long has this been going on?” she raises an eyebrow and Emily looks at her with an impish expression.

“Three or four weeks.”

The blonde girl smacks at Emily’s thigh repeatedly. 

“You mean to tell me that you’ve been sneaking around behind my back for three or four weeks?!”

“Ow, Hanna,” Emily rubs at her leg. 

“You deserve it!” 

“Jeez, I’m sorry, okay?” she moves away, laughing at Hanna who flashes a fierce pout. 

“It’s fine,” the blonde girl breathes out, “but you two aren’t off the hook yet. Alison and I are going to have a talk.”

“Oh God,” she puts her head in her hands. “Just be careful, okay? She’s been moody.”

“Is that different from any other day?”

Emily shoots her a pointed look, and Hanna raises her hands in surrender. 

The two girls discuss further, some things about Emily’s relationship with Alison, and others regarding why Hanna was at the school in the first place. Overall, the brunette feels slightly relieved that Hanna found out, and, just maybe, the others will know soon as well. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My take on Alison finding out that the baby isn’t hers (but it’s Emily’s), and she has to break the news to Emily ━ As requested; may be triggering at the beginning.

It’s been twenty-four hours since she’s made the official decision on whether or not she’s going to “take care of things.” Internally, Alison rolls her eyes at the phrase; she knows it sounds insensitive and, honestly, possibly a bit immoral, but there’s no better way to put it. She just  _ can’t  _ bear the fact that there could soon be a mixture of her and Archer (the man who had  _ tortured  _ her and her friends) running around. Sure, people can say that she’s a good soul as much as they want (not that many people would), and maybe that goodness will slay the badness that Archer’s “ingredient” could bring to life, but the blonde doesn’t actually believe that she’s all too kind, or genuine, or lovable. What if the kid turned out to be a complete monster? Then what? She can’t just… give him or her away. Now  _ that  _ would be immoral. 

It’s been an hour of constant driving to a town somewhere west of Rosewood, and Alison is finally pulling up to the clinic where her impending guilt will form. She gets out of her car and takes a deep breath, remembering to text Emily a quick  _ “I’m here,” _ to which the brunette rapidly sends back an  _ “Everything will be okay.” _ It’ll be everything  _ but  _ okay, Alison thinks, however she doesn’t say that to Emily because, well, she’s been nothing but supportive; Emily’s been waiting on Alison’s every want and need, careful to hold her when need be, but gives the blonde a great deal of distance when she feels it’s right. Alison smiles; that’s literally the only silver lining of this huge clusterfuck. 

She takes another deep breath and pushes her body forward, advancing into the twenty-four-hour, white-walled clinic that smells of cheap, leather chairs, hand sanitizer, and the faint scent of mint. Alison looks around and wonders if every clinic is like this: all bright yet un-colored, almost as if the building is detailing what could potentially happen behind the closed office doors. 

“Do you have an appointment?” a desk attendant asks when Alison approaches, her voice kind.

“I… um,” Alison swallows hard after stuttering. “I’m…”

The woman nods, “It’s okay. I understand. What’s your name?”

“Alison.”

“Take these,” she hands Alison a packet of papers with lines designated for the patient’s signature, “and we’ll call you in forty minutes or so. Things are slow today, I’m afraid.”

Alison tries to force a smile but can’t, and she nods as she turns to sit in one of the nearby chairs. Forty minutes? That’s enough time for at least seven major anxiety attacks. She shakes her head as she balances the papers on her leg, backed by a brown clipboard and attached ballpoint pen. Focusing on the first line, she prints her full name, address, etc., and feels tears welling up in her eyes. She forces herself to stay strong, however, since there are quite a few people sitting around the waiting room ━ really, it’s just the entire fucked up situation weighing down on her.

As she continues to fill out the cluster of forms, she feels her phone vibrate in her pocket and expects it to be Emily again. At first, she struggles with pulling the device out of her pocket since her lap is cluttered with papers and her purse but, eventually, she manages, and swallows hard when she sees an anonymous text grace the screen:

_ “Go through with the visit and Emily’s eggs are scrambled. ━ A.D.” _

Her lips part slightly while her eyebrows furrow at the blatant baby emoji towards the end of the message. Stuffing her phone back into her pocket as fast as possible, Alison looks around the waiting room frantically, feeling even more watched when the other patients glance at her with slight concern. Her leg bounces while she internally debates on what the hell she should do now and, within the next minute, she runs over to the front desk, slides the clipboard across the counter, mutters a soft “I have to go,” and bolts out.

The ride home is extremely unnerving, and the blonde feels the need to text Emily and explain what’s going on, but how could she possibly just come out with  _ that _ ? Sure, maybe it  _ sounds  _ easy, but the situation just became way more complex. She huffs at the thought that they’ve just recently grown closer so, naturally, something just  _ has  _ to come in between them, of course. Her eyes focus on the road, but her mind runs through a constant cycle of  _ “Okay, she’ll be over in about two hours” _ and  _ “What if she’s pissed at me for not going through with it?” _

An hour later (maybe a bit shorter since her foot felt like lead the entire way home) and she’s pulling into her driveway. She glances at the time: 4:35 P.M., and takes a deep breath before she pushes the car door open and walks along the pavement, up the front porch, and into her house, wiping at her eyes once the door is closed behind her. The blonde sighs before grabbing a glass of water, sipping on the liquid as she waits for another hour to pass.

 

X X X

 

Alison sits on the front porch steps, rereading A.D.’s message repeatedly, hoping (and  _ severely _ , at that) she misread it the first time and it’s not what she thinks. Of course, how could that text be misunderstood given everything that’s happened recently? Especially when she sees that damn emoji and the ridiculous pun. Clever, A.D., Alison muses. 

Her eyes snap upwards when she hears the sound of tires crunching along leaves in front of her driveway, her heart immediately sinking when Emily slides out of the driver’s seat and offers the blonde a questioning smile. Alison doesn’t react to the expression. Instead, she looks away while the brunette continues to approach until she’s standing just in front of the other girl who remains sitting on the top step.

Emily clears her throat and cautiously whispers, “How did it go?”

Right off the bat, Alison’s eyes water and tears drip down her cheeks, a shaky laugh falling from her lips.

“It didn’t,” she offers a curt smile, looking at the ground in front of Emily’s feet. 

The brunette bows her head and flashes her own sad smile, sitting next to Alison on the top step afterwards. She’s nervous to offer any sort of physical comfort at first, especially since they haven’t really defined what they are just yet, but gathers up the courage to wrap her arm around Alison’s shoulders, pulling their bodies closer. The blonde relaxes into the embrace, slightly surprising the other girl who rests her cheek on Alison’s tilted head. Emily rubs small patterns on the girl’s arm, sitting silently for a few minutes before finding her voice.

“It’ll be okay, Ali,” Emily starts. “You’re not alone in this, and you know I’ll help you in any way possible.”

Alison swallows hard, “I know.”

The blonde’s heart races for more than one reason, and she  _ really  _ wants to confess to Emily what happened back at the clinic, but she’s having a hard time getting the words out. In fact, it takes another whole five minutes for Emily to break the silence, gingerly standing up and offering Alison her hand.

“Want to watch a movie?” Emily smiles with a head tilt, trying to get some sort of positive reaction out of the other girl.

In response, Alison’s lower lip quivers and more tears fall from her eyes, catching Emily off-guard and slightly concerning her.

“Ali?” she kneels in front of the other girl. “I’m sorry. I thought you’d like to rest, or━”

“Em,” the blonde forces herself to speak. “Did you ever find out what happened to your eggs after you donated them?”

“What?” her forehead creases. “Not after the systems crashed, why?”

Instead of responding, Alison slams her eyes shut and pulls out her phone, displaying A.D.’s latest message on the screen so Emily can see. The brunette’s lips part at the text, and she goes to say something but nothing comes out. Alison watches the other girl stand up and pace a few steps back and forth, chewing on her thumbnail until she’s able to comment.

“I hope that didn’t affect your decision at all, Alison,” her eyes show sympathy and a tinge of guilt, which confuses Alison as to why it’s there in the first place.

“Of course it did, Em,” she breathes out. “Why wouldn’t it?”

“Because it’s your body,” Emily offers the reasoning as if it’s obvious. 

“I know,” Alison sighs, “but it’s…  _ yours _ ,” she hugs her stomach.

The brunette’s eyes flicker to the other girl’s body language before looking away again, not knowing how to feel yet feeling so many things all at once. How did this even happen?

“Ali, when I donated my eggs to the clinic, I knew that I wouldn’t have a choice in whatever happens to them after it’s all said and done. That’s the agreement,” she explains. “It’s  _ your  _ choice. Not mine.”

“Yeah, but I’m sure you didn’t exactly want to see them go to waste, Em. You offered them up to families who couldn’t conceive. Not to have them mixed in a Petri dish with some psycho’s DNA.”

Emily sighs, finally sitting back down next to the other girl who glances at her timidly.

“I don’t know what you want me to say,” the brunette confesses. “I just want you to make a decision based on what you think is best for  _ you _ .”

“But I want to know what you want,” Alison’s voice is small. “I know it’s… kind of weird to think about, but I’d almost rather the idea of a small you, and not a small me. At least with your genes, it has a chance of being a good person. Or a  _ normal  _ one.”

“I don’t know,” Emily shakes her head, eventually a small smile gracing her features, “I think you’re pretty great.”

Alison breathes out a laugh, “You’re the only one who thinks that.”

“So what if I am?”

Their eyes meet and the blonde swallows hard, not exactly knowing how to respond to that. Alison looks away after her eyes momentarily flicker to the other girl’s lips, and she tries her best to focus on the issue at hand.

“A.D. sent you that message to threaten you, Alison. That’s what A.D. does.”

“What if it wasn’t a threat?” she wonders aloud, and Emily eyes her curiously. “What if… it was a wake up call, of some sort?” 

More silence flows through the porch area.

“I don’t think I want to go to the clinic again, Emily,” her voice cracks. “I don’t think I  _ can _ . I can’t stand the thought of destroying something that’s a part of you.”

“I told you I don’t want that to influence your━”

“Em, listen to me,” she locks eyes with the brunette again, making sure that the other girl is paying close attention before she continues. 

She takes a deep breath, “I don’t care if you keep saying you don’t want this to influence my decision because, no matter what, it will. It  _ does _ . This pregnancy is so much more complex now, and, honestly, I’m not sure if I’m more stressed or relieved that it’s part you.”

Emily chews her inner cheek and Alison intertwines their fingers during the silence.

“I know you want me to feel comfortable, and I think I’ll feel most comfortable if I go through with this pregnancy. But only if you’re okay with that choice.” 

“It’s not my call to━”

“I’m telling you, right now, that you have a say in my decisions,  _ especially  _ when it comes to this. Please, Emily.”

“Okay,” the other girl breathes out. “I’m okay with either choice, and that’s my say. I’ll be by your side no matter what your final decision is.”

Alison slightly tightens her grip on Emily’s hand and slides closer to the brunette, leaning her head against her shoulder. Emily, on the other hand, smiles softly and Alison can feel it against her head, a sigh of relief coming from the blonde. After a few moments, the brunette turns, and places a gentle kiss on the other girl’s head before untucking her arm and wrapping it around Alison’s shoulders once again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I know the A.D. message is ridiculously odd, but I just wanted to use the pun so bad. Thanks for dealing with me.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily and Alison are getting a bit too heated in Alison’s classroom (after school hours), only to be interrupted ━ Established Emison, sometime after 7x10 ━ As requested.

“Alison,” Emily tries to get out, but the name is partially swallowed by the other girl’s lips.

The brunette doesn’t severely attempt to fight back because, well, she finds herself being sucked into the thrill of getting heated in public ━ and, honestly, she never thought she’d be  _ that  _ type. It’s not that she  _ completely  _ gave into the idea of making out in Alison’s classroom, no way, but the other girl is quite convincing ━ especially when her hands start to wander. 

She tries to distance them again, pushing herself off of Alison whose backside is pressed against the front of her teaching desk. Emily keeps two fingers firmly planted between Alison’s collarbones, shooting her a strong (on the surface) look. The blonde smirks at the silent scolding, grasping at Emily’s coaching jacket to pull their bodies back together. Emily grunts when she’s jerked forward, breathing out a shaky laugh when Alison’s lips are trailing down her neck at a rapid rate. 

Emily groans, “Ali,” and tries to regain some distance, “we’re going to get caught.”

“No we won’t,” the blonde nips at the spot underneath the other girl’s ear. 

When Emily lets out another nervous whimper, Alison backs up with a lustful expression. She tilts her head and presses her tongue to her inner cheek, smirking at the torn girl who remains standing in front of her ━ well, practically leaning over her. 

“The blinds are shut and the lights are off. We’re fine. Stop worrying,” she whispers, trying to flash her most convincing smile.

Emily’s lips part and she looks at the door, noting the sealed blinds as she weighs the options in her mind. Next, her gaze bounces around the front of the room, looking past Alison as she internally debates on whether or not she should just run and deal with the other girl’s moodiness later. Right when she’s about to give in to silence her own desires, her brown eyes catch sight of the wall clock and they widen with a quiet “Shit, I’m gonna be late.” She tries to bolt for the door, but Alison grabs at the navy blue jacket and pulls her back almost immediately. 

“Alison, I have to go,” Emily’s voice wavers and Alison smiles again. 

“Come on,” the blonde brings her even closer, trailing her lips along the girl’s jawline. 

“Ali…”

“You can be late for one practice, Em,” her mouth ends up against Emily’s within seconds and, without any other hesitation, the brunette gives in.

Alison happily sighs into the heated kiss, her hands traveling up the other girl’s arms until they’re draped over her shoulders. She tangles her hands in Emily’s hair instantly, pulling the brunette impossibly closer. When her tongue slides against the other girl’s, a moan escapes her own throat, and Emily presses her further into the desk’s edge, almost propping her onto the surface. As she pushes even further, her hand travels down Alison’s body, slightly raising the blonde girl’s dress. 

They’ve been getting lost like this a lot as of late. Honestly, neither of them are sure why, exactly, they haven’t taken things to the next level yet ━ it’s not like it’d be their first time. Well, either way, both girls are happy with their progress, even if they only found the courage to tell the others a few days ago.  _ “We’ll take things slow, Ali. Anything you want,”  _ Emily whispered the night they had first officialized their relationship. A few weeks later, Alison declared (out of  _ nowhere _ ) that she wanted to tell the others, not exactly caring what they think anymore. Everyone was  _ surprisingly  _ supportive ━ even Spencer who always seems a bit skeptical when it comes to Alison’s motives, and Hanna who never really had the most stable relationship with the other blonde.

Alison smiles against the other girl’s mouth while they kiss, and that’s when Emily backs up.

“What are you smiling about?” she narrows her eyes, curiously. 

Alison shrugs, “Nothing,” and then pulls the other girl back towards her, reconnecting their lips. 

Right before Emily can lift the other girl onto her desk, a quick knock at the door sounds, followed by the barrier quickly opening. As a reflex, Alison goes to separate them but Emily does it on her own, taking a giant step backwards and forcing a smile to whoever is━

“Em, there you are,” Paige takes a step into the classroom and Alison raises her eyebrows, looking away immediately. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you. You’re late for today’s practice.”

“I’m sorry, I got caught up in something,” or  _ someone _ , her mind shouts as she wipes at her lips. 

Alison shoots a gloating smile in Paige’s direction, which doesn’t go unnoticed by Emily. 

“How’d you find me in here, anyway?” Emily’s eyebrows furrow, knowing that she hadn’t told Paige where she’d be stopping before practice. 

Paige shakes her head with a laugh, “I saw you in here,” her voice makes it sound like it’s a completely obvious explanation, but Alison looks past the girl and notes that the blinds are still entirely shut, so Paige was clearly trying a little too hard to peek inside. 

The blonde’s eyebrows raise again and she scoffs, earning a frown from Paige. Before her ex-girlfriend can make any daring moves and/or comments, Emily offers her a friendly smile and clasps her own hands together with a quick, “Okay, just give me a minute.”

Emily looks at Alison, expecting Paige to leave the room but side-eyeing the girl when she doesn’t move an inch.

“Paige, can you give us a moment?” the brunette tries her best to stay on good terms with Rosewood High’s assistant coach ━ a term that made her want to cry when she first heard the news. 

Paige opens her mouth to speak again, and that’s when Alison cuts her off.

“Can you give us a minute?  _ Alone _ .”

“Oh, sure, sorry,” the other girl shakes her head and walks out of the room, slightly shutting the door behind her however not latching it. 

Alison rolls her eyes hard, earning a pointed look from her girlfriend. 

“Don’t look at me like that,” the blonde tilts her head. 

“Just… relax,” Emily closes the distance and gives her a peck on the lips, though the other girl doesn’t move her mouth at all; she just looks at her with a slight pout. 

The brunette rubs her hands up and down Alison’s arms, trying to calm her as much as possible before leaving. 

“She was peeping at us through the blinds, Em,” she hisses, “that’s borderline stalker-ish.”

Emily has no rebuttal because, really, Alison’s right; this isn’t the first time Paige has acted in a creepy way. At first, she pegged it as  _ “She’s always in the right place at the precise time,” _ but now it’s just… weird. The brunette shakes her head, looking down at their feet. 

“I better go,” Emily offers Alison a sad smile.

Alison breathes out a sigh and nods, fixing her dress as much as possible while she straightens her posture and walks the other girl to her classroom door. She opens the barrier, notices how Paige’s shoulder can be seen from where they stand, and rolls her blue eyes. 

“I’ll see you tonight?” the brunette tries to lighten the mood, smiling hopefully. 

The other girl mirrors the smile, nodding with a confirming hum.

“Okay, good,” she leans forward and presses another kiss to Alison’s lips, lingering not even an inch away afterwards as she smiles again. 

Before she can move further away, Alison catches Emily’s bottom lip between her teeth and tugs gently, backing up immediately after to witness the most dazed expression she’s ever seen on the other girl’s face. She flashes her signature smirk, raising her eyebrows once Emily’s eyes flutter open while her lips part. 

“Have a nice practice,” comes the whisper and, with that, a love-drunk Emily walks out of Alison’s classroom, passing Paige who now lingers right next to the door.

Paige turns and looks at Alison, a bitter expression written across her features upon hearing the couple’s entire departure. The blonde, in response, flashes her a “deal with it” kind of smile, crossing her arms in case the other girl tries to say or do anything ━ an original DiLaurentis defense mechanism. 

When no words are spoken, Alison’s smile falls and is replaced by a steely gaze, waiting for the other girl to  _ finally  _ leave. As if on cue, Paige rolls her eyes and huffs, starting in the direction of the high school's pool area. The blonde chuckles and smiles to herself, taking a few steps back into her classroom so she can pack up and head home. She slides a few binders into her teaching bag and looks around the room, noting that there’s nothing left for her to do before she leaves. 

So, Alison eventually walks over to her door and locks the barrier, shutting it once she’s in the hallway. She stands there, silently debating as she looks past the empty stretch of lockers, and that’s when an idea comes to mind. 

Without hesitation, her high heels click down the tiled hallway, making her way to the pool area so she can both distract her girlfriend and disrupt Paige’s “Emily time.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep sending me ideas. Could be pre-disappearance (but I'm not doing anything too... heated, for young Emison), before the time-jump, after the time-jump, etc. ━ I'm trying to stay away from AU ideas (A.K.A. I'm trying to keep canon events relevant).


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison shows up to one of Rosewood High’s swim practices (coached by Emily; assistant-coached by Paige) ━ Possible sequel to the Ch 6 one-shot ━ Established Emison, sometime after 7x10 ━ As requested.

The scent of chlorine fills her nostrils even before she walks into the indoor pool area. She smiles at the familiar scent, especially when it brings her back to the days when she’d find a reason to hug Emily after one of the brunette’s practices.  _ “How subtle,” _ she internally muses.

Alison’s heels click along the tile, carefully maneuvering along the edge of the room and making her way towards the bleachers so she can casually watch her girlfriend coach their school’s swim team. The room is bright, that’s a definite, and she even has to squint a little when some peeking sunlight bounces off of the water and into her eyes while she walks. 

“Hi there, Ms. DiLaurentis!” one of her students yells from where they float around in the water, earning a tight-lipped, genuine smile and a slight wave. 

Emily immediately drops whatever conversation she’s having with Paige and spins around to see her beautiful girlfriend getting situated on one of the middle bleachers. The brunette’s lips part when she sees the girl, and Alison raises an eyebrow. Paige’s eyes narrow in irritation as she huffs, forcefully snapping at Emily with a sharp “You were saying?” as she holds onto a brown clipboard. She turns around to face Paige again, stuttering (from what Alison can see) and shaking her head a few times.

“I’ll be right back,” Alison can hear Emily’s voice, and she smirks while fixing her dress as she sits cross-legged in the stands, bag propped up next to her.

The brunette approaches, eyes narrowed with a slight smile plastered across her lips, and she rounds the bleachers so she’s a foot away from her girlfriend who sits on the edge of the platform. 

“Did something happen?” she immediately jumps to the worst-case scenario.

Alison raises her eyebrow again, this time in confusion with a silent “calm down, Em” kind of expression. When Emily sees it, she breathes out and looks towards Paige who widens her eyes in waiting, grunting out a small “God damn it, Emily” when the brunette turns her attention back to the girl sitting down. The assistant coach slaps her hand on the clipboard’s surface, making a loud noise in the background while Emily gets lost in Alison’s blue eyes. 

“I just came to watch you. I wanted to see how you perform under pressure,” she smirks like she’s done millions of times before but, this time, her eyes drift down to Emily’s lips for a moment, and the brunette bites her bottom lip at the double-meaning. 

Before Emily can respond, Paige stalks over to the two and puts her hands on her hips with an authoritative (and frustrated) body language. She stands there, head tilted with a bitter look as she stares at Alison who matches the head tilt with a “what are you going to do?” kind of smile. Emily glances between the two, then at the swimmers in the pool, and back at the two girls in some silent bitch-fest. 

“Practices are closed,” Paige finally speaks, her voice already holding venom, and Emily’s eyes widen at the tone she’s never exactly heard from her ex-girlfriend. 

“ _ Actually _ ,” Alison looks around the room as if she’s thinking, “practices are closed to other  _ students _ . I’m not a student, and, according to the faculty’s school handbook, I’m allowed to go wherever I want, as long as I have a reason to be somewhere.”

“Oh, really?” the other girl tilts her head. “And what’s your reasoning, Ms. DiLaurentis?” she bites.

Without missing a beat, the blonde smiles, “Emily. I’m here to support my girlfriend in her first coaching job. Moral support, you know?”

Paige rolls her eyes hard and walks away, not having any sort of rebuttal for Alison. Emily watches the other girl walk away as she begins shouting at the group who starts some drill that they had worked on a few days prior. Eventually, she turns her attention back to Alison and shoots her a pointed look.

“What?” Alison squeaks.

“‘Moral support’?” she laughs. “So, that’s what we’re calling it?”

“Do you have a better word for it?” comes the challenge, and Emily shifts her jaw as she looks away.

“I call it  _ distraction _ ,” Emily settles on saying, and it’s Alison’s turn to laugh.

“Well, in that case, I call it  _ seduction _ ,” she bats her eyelashes as she drags out the word, eventually tucking her lower lip between her teeth when the brunette’s eyes seem to turn a shade darker. 

Somehow, during their silent, lustful stare down, the two grow a bit closer and Emily’s eyes widen once she realizes. She backs up,  _ frantically _ , putting some distance between them as Alison snickers at the reaction.

“Coach Fields,” Paige sings in an impatient tone, “they want to know what drill to do next.”

Internally, Emily rolls her eyes; Paige already knows what drills they’re working on today, and she’s ninety-nine percent sure that none of the swimmers asked what they’re supposed to be doing ━ especially since most of them are already in motion as it is.

“Work hard,” Alison smiles when Emily (visibly) doesn’t want to walk away. 

She does, however, and (seemingly) is dazed because she nearly trips over the end of the bleachers whilst making her way back to where Paige stands. Once Emily gets to where she’s needed, she begins instructing the swimmers and earning a round of grunts from the kids who, apparently, don’t feel like doing anything today. Paige glances back at Alison with another irritated look, and Alison casually waves at the girl who, thankfully, is just as annoyed with the intrusion as the blonde was when her and Emily were walked in on during their little make out session. 

Alison’s eyes narrow in suspicion when Emily rounds the pool so she’s able to face her girlfriend, and the blonde can see the other girl’s eyes occasionally look up.  _ “Definitely not subtle, Em,” _ Alison smirks and absentmindedly licks her lips. 

It’s cute, Alison thinks, how Emily’s life has kind of gone…  _ full circle _ , in a way. She started off as a dedicated swimmer, and now she’s a dedicated and prepared coach. The blonde admires it, definitely, and she smiles when she sees how connected Emily feels with the young swimmers. She watches the brunette bend down to the water’s level so she can explain something to an individual student, and the young swimmer laughs at part of the explanation, causing Emily to laugh just as much. Alison’s smile widens, and she tries to be discreet about it because, really, she’s blushing and, judging from the way Paige’s fists tighten around the clipboard she’s been holding, it’s pretty damn noticeable. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this one quickly because I enjoyed the storyline way too much, and apparently a lot of others did as well.
> 
> Currently, I have four other one-shots completely written, and I'll post them periodically:
> 
> \- Emily and Alison go on a date.  
> \- Pre-disappearance; Alison and Emily watch a scary movie on Halloween night.  
> \- Emily still works at The Radley as a bartender, and Alison stops by one night after a slight argument, only to get hit on by another bar-goer.  
> \- Alison goes to Spencer for advice on her blossoming relationship with Emily.
> 
> Otherwise, I have a bunch of ideas written down, including (but not limited to):
> 
> \- Emily talks to Alison's stomach (well, the baby, if I want to sound less creepy).  
> \- Jealous Alison, and one of the other girls notices.
> 
> Keep the ideas coming. I'm writing them down (and, like I said: I have a bunch written down already), and I'll post them whenever I feel like it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison goes to Spencer for advice on her potential relationship with Emily (more like her feelings for Emily) ━ Sometime after 7x10; Toby didn’t die in the crash.

She raises her fist to the door of Spencer’s newly-refurbished barn before hesitating ━  _ again _ . 

It had taken her at least two full minutes to drum up a good amount of courage and approach the damn door, but now she can’t bring herself to knock. Really, she  _ should  _ be more afraid of standing around outside late at night but, instead, she fears being inside her desired location even more. Alison sighs at her thoughts and lack of confidence.

Honestly, she’s wanted to do this for a while now; the blonde wants to hear what Spencer has to say regarding what she should do about her feelings for Emily. That’s how it’s always been with every person she’s dated; Alison would head to Spencer’s, timidly throw a few pieces of information out, and then hear the brunette’s piece. Normally, Spencer would be pretty open to the idea of Alison “getting out there,” but this is  _ Emily _ ━ one of her best friends. It’s not that Alison isn’t one of her best friends as well, no, but the blonde knows that she doesn’t have the best track record with the others, no matter how often they try to ease her worries.

Before she can even raise her fist back up to the wooden barrier, it swings open to reveal the person who she had come to see. The brunette looks thoroughly surprised, and she even takes a slight step back with curious eyes. 

“Ali? What are you doing here?” she sounds panicked, like she thinks something happened and/or she’d forgotten about a “group meeting.”

Alison sighs, “I, um… came to talk to you, actually,” she offers a forced smile.

Spencer stares at her for a split second, head tilted at the blatantly obvious pained smile, before she nods and moves aside so the other girl can pass through. 

“Were you going somewhere?” the blonde turns around once she’s inside.

The brunette passes her and moves into the kitchen, resuming her position from before whilst she leans against the countertop with a cup of tea in hand. 

She shakes her head, “No, I thought I heard something outside.”

The other girl nods and sighs, moving further into the kitchen to stand across from Spencer with the center island dividing them. The brunette eyes her guest carefully, wondering why she seems so fragile; it’s a little unnerving, to say the least, when Alison, someone who had once been so harsh and confident, just stands there like some targeted animal.

“Is something wrong, Alison?”

“Huh?” the girl’s blue eyes snap upwards after getting lost in the island’s surface.

Alison shakes her head, “Oh, sorry, no.”

“Are you sure?” Spencer doesn’t believe it. “It’s after ten, so it must be pretty important.”

She sighs.

“Ali━”

“Em and I…” the blonde starts, trailing off already, “we kissed. Again.”

“ _ Again _ ? As in… there was a first time?” 

Alison raises an eyebrow.

“I mean recently,” Spencer expands with a wave of her hand.

“Yeah, there were a few times, actually,” she lets out a sad laugh.

“Okay…” the brunette tries to let the information sink in, but she’s having a hard time doing so.

“I just… I came here because I wanted to know what you think about it.”

She shrugs, “Well it’s not really my decision, Alison. I don’t exactly have a say in what either of you do.”

“I know,” Alison looks down and plays with her hands, “but I wanted to know if you think it’s a bad idea,” her voice is small, and Spencer purses her lips while thinking about what to say.

Alison studies the other girl, noting her body language yet wishing she could tear her gaze away. She doesn’t look the most thrilled, and maybe a bit stressed about it, so the blonde begins to feel herself shrinking. Truly, she wishes the floor would just swallow her whole, but━

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea, per se,” Spencer’s eyes bug as she looks at the floor, “but I’m going to be honest with you, Alison, I just don’t know how I feel about it.”

“Can you at least explain?”

She breathes out a stressed sigh and approaches the center island, placing her palms on the surface and bowing her head as she thinks about how to word what she’s thinking. Alison waits patiently, and she can feel her heart nearly pounding through her chest. 

“You’ve both been through a lot,” she starts, “not just recently, but before that too. You two, _together_ , have been through _a_ _ton_.”

“But?”

“Don’t you think Emily needs someone who is sure of what she wants?”

Alison furrows her eyebrows, “What makes you think I’m not sure of what I want?”

“I didn’t mean it like that, Alison,” Spencer groans. 

She explains, “You’ve never really said anything… about yourself, or how you feel, or,  _ God _ , even Em. How does she know it’s real? How am  _ I  _ supposed to know if it’s real?”

The other girl swallows hard and her eyes water, so she looks away as fast as she can. Spencer shakes her head, mostly at herself, and pushes her body away from the island so she can stand straight up. Alison’s nostrils flare as she clenches her jaw, trying not to cry in front of the other girl, yet having a particularly tough time holding up.

“I’m not saying this to hurt you, Ali. I’ll discuss it all with you if you really want, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to give you the answer you’re looking for.”

Spencer bites her inner cheek as Alison continues to look around, now with crossed arms as she rubs at her own skin. The blonde girl glances at Spencer one last time before shaking her head as she walks away, slowly moving to the front door. The other girl calls after Alison, but she ignores it.

“If you really loved Em, you’d let her go and see if she comes back on her own,” Spencer raises her voice so Alison will hear her clearly ━ and she does.

The other girl spins around, features angry as she takes a few steps in Spencer’s direction, head tilted with wide eyes. The brunette crosses her arms in some sort of defensive manner while standing in the same spot, determined not to back down.

“Let her go?” Alison finally speaks. “Just like you let Toby go, right?” 

She knows it’s a low blow, but it’s the only thing that will help her get the point across. Spencer looks at her like a wounded animal, taking a solid step back and leaning against the countertop like before. Their eyes remained locked, and neither girl blinks until the thick silence is broken up.

“Look, I know that you all think of me as the same, selfish girl I’ve always been━”

“That’s not true, Ali━”

“Spencer, stop,” she interrupts. “I’m not stupid, okay? I know that you guys believe that I changed,  _ good _ , but I also know that you all still think that I’m  _ capable  _ of being the selfish girl that I used to be.”

Silence.

“I’m not,” Alison shakes her head, “but I’m not going to let Emily walk away just so I can see if she comes back. This isn’t a game, and it’s not some sort of test to see if she’s loyal to me. If I let her go, she  _ will  _ come back, and that’s why I love her.”

More silence.

“Look at how much you’re hurting, Spence. You let Toby leave and…” she trails off, sighing, “I’m not trying to be a bitch, but you know I’m right. You’re not happy, and everyone can see it. I wish things worked out for you two, I really do, but I also wish you didn’t let him go simply because you think with the mindset  _ ‘If it’s meant to be, then it’ll be.’ _ Sometimes, you have to take things into your own hands, and I’ve learned that throughout the years.”

“There’s no time,” Spencer finally repeats her words from a while back.

Alison smiles, partially through sadness but also because of the sentiment. 

“I’m not going to tell you to go get her,” she continues, “but I think you should talk about it with her. I think… Em deserves to hear what you have to say.”

They maintain eye contact for another minute, and Spencer ends it with a growing smile, even if she feels a bit hurt. Alison takes in a shaky breath and looks away, finally mumbling, “I should go,” and turning to walk back towards the door. 

“Ali,” she calls again, and Alison turns around, “thank you.”

The other girl looks at her with a raised eyebrow and tilted head.

“I think I needed a swift kick in the ass, so thank you.”

“It’s what I do best,” Alison jokes with a tight-lipped smile, causing Spencer to raise her eyebrows in agreement.

With that, she walks out of Spencer’s barn, quickly types out  _ “Can you come over? I want to talk,”  _ and sends it to Emily. Before Alison steps away from the barn, she takes a deep breath, and emotionally prepares herself for the night ahead. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next added one-shot is going to be a pre-disappearance storyline, have no fear. It'll be a bit angsty, just a warning.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pre-disappearance Emison ━ Canon personalities, but roles are reversed; Alison pines over Emily whereas Emily is too timid to capitalize on their impending relationship ━ As requested.

Alison clicks her pen against her cheek as she stares at the back of Emily’s head, trying her hardest to ignore the teacher at the front of the classroom. Her eyes practically roll back into her head while the woman speaks, and the blonde has to refrain from yawning for the third time in just five minutes.

Emily sits two rows ahead, which means she’s too far away to exchange notes with, but that doesn’t stop the blonde from  _ trying  _ to get her attention. She slides her phone out of her pocket slowly, hoping that she doesn’t, somehow, drop the device onto the floor. Upon her success, Alison begins to type out a message to the brunette sitting nearby, smirking at the text.

**A** ━ “See? Doesn’t Paris sound so much better than this boring place?”

She doesn’t hear the vibration of the other girl’s phone, and her expression falls flat once she realizes that Emily most likely put the device on silent.  _ “Damn it, Em,”  _ she internally curses as she sinks further into the metal chair, pursing her lightly-colored lips.  

Her eyes bug when the bell rings not even three minutes later, wondering when the time sped up; as far as she knew, they were only ten minutes into the lecture ━ not that she’s exactly complaining. Her gaze floats over to the brunette who stuffs a notebook into her bag, and she smirks before strutting over to one of her best friends.

“You silenced your phone?” she raises her eyebrows.

“Um,” Emily fumbles with her bag as she fastens the strap over her shoulder, “yeah. I haven’t been doing all that great in this class. Mom’s not happy,” she mumbles, never looking at the other girl.

“I could tutor you,” Alison suggests with a devilish smirk. 

“It’s okay, Ali. I just need to pay more attention, that’s all,” and, with that, Emily walks away from the blonde girl who stands in the same spot, dumbfounded. 

Next is gym class and, unfortunately (partly), it’s a “pool day,” which means she and Emily get to swim together before they head home. Alison has never been the most fond of swimming, but she enjoys watching the brunette glide through the small, chlorine-filled waves.  _ “Just like a mermaid,”  _ Alison smiles softly.

Without wasting another minute, the blonde walks out of the classroom and through the hallways, ignoring every person who cranes their neck in order to watch her walk by. It’s gotten irritating lately, and Alison shifts her jaw when some jock calls out her name. Really, she isn’t sure why she’s not all that fond of the attention as of late and, a time or two, she’s looked at herself in the mirror wondering if something’s wrong with her. Before her fingertips could touch the cool, shiny surface of the bathroom mirror, her phone began to ring on the vanity nearby, and Emily’s name popped up. Her heart fluttered at the thought of the other girl, and that’s when her eyes widened and she looked around the room frantically.

But it’s not like she hasn’t tried to  _ stop  _ the feeling. It’s just difficult and, well, nearly impossible. At first, when these butterflies initially showed up, the blonde tried to ignore Emily altogether, earning three pairs of worried eyes from Hanna, Spencer, and Aria. Next, she threw herself at a few, older guys who, in return, tried to force themselves upon Alison a little too much, and that’s when she actually  _ cried _ . Yes, she admits it: she’s cried because of Emily, and not because the brunette  _ hurt  _ her, but because she made her feel…  _ lovable _ . So, eventually, Alison felt her body give in, and she took Emily to The Kissing Rock where they shared their first kiss. Soon after, the brunette kissed her again in the library, and that’s when things got real for both girls ━  _ too  _ real, if you asked Emily.

_ “Em, I think we should talk,”  _ Alison walked up to the other girl who had, recently, started to avoid any form of contact with the blonde.  _ “Why are you ignoring me?” _

_ “I’m not ignoring you, Alison,”  _ she stuffed another book into her locker.  _ “I’m just busy lately.” _

_ “With what?” _ came the slight chuckle, and Emily narrowed her eyes as she continued to put her schoolwork away. 

_ “I’ve been hanging out with Ben,”  _ was the last thing she heard before she walked away from the brunette who remained standing in front of her locker. 

Again, Alison went home that day and cried, but (as opposed to last time), it was an angry cry; frankly, she wanted to plaster all over the school that she and Emily had kissed ━  _ repeatedly  _ ━ and, well, she tried to think of some sort of payback. Unfortunately for Alison, no ideas ever came to mind, and she sighed at the thought of intentionally hurting Emily. Instead, she focused on herself as her gaze bore into the ceiling above her bed.  _ “Do I like girls, or do I just like Emily?”  _ she panicked slightly.  _ “Do I even like Emily? Is it just an experiment?”  _

She nearly collides with Ben as she takes one last turn towards the locker rooms, clearly being lost in her thoughts for the past however many minutes. He looks at her and offers a smile, but Alison just shoots him a not-so-subtle glare and sticks her tongue out once she’s walked past him.

Taking one last, deep breath, the blonde pushes the locker room door open and walks through, mentally preparing herself for the class ahead. 

 

X X X

 

Her eyes are slightly pink from the chlorine, and she rubs at her forehead when they begin to sting with every blink.

Everyone else left earlier since Alison was held back for an extra drill when she was “too distracted” (as per the teacher’s accusation), and Emily stuck around the pool area while she discussed something with said teacher ━ _ “Or was there another reason?” _ Alison squinted at the idea. 

Now, her damp feet bring her into the locker room as she wrings her hair slightly, grimacing at the feeling of her sticky bathing suit while she walks. Emily follows close by, being as quiet as ever, and Alison almost forgets that the brunette is there since she’s been like that for most of the day. She side-eyes Emily who begins changing freely (albeit the brunette still seems a bit reserved), and her back faces Alison who tries her hardest not to look ━ but fails miserably. 

“Em,” she tries to break the tension, her eyes still avoiding the other girl’s bare skin, “are you okay? You’ve been really quiet.”

“I’m just having a bad day.”

“I’m not talking about today, Emily. You’ve been like this for an entire week now.”

Emily sighs, “I don’t know, Ali.”

“Did I do something?” Alison’s legs suddenly bring her up behind the other girl, only a foot of space separating them. 

“I don’t know,” she shakes her head, and the response seems more shaky than before. 

“You can talk to me, Em.”

“I can’t,” her voice breaks towards the end, and Alison’s lips part. 

“Why not?” Alison feels extremely nervous, and she’s surprised that her legs are still holding up.

Emily looks down and Alison can see her playing with her hands ━ something she only does when she’s extremely guarded. 

“I’m not going to judge you for anything, and you know that,” she continues to pry. 

For some reason, the blonde feels compelled to move forward even more and, soon, her hands are on Emily’s shoulders as the other girl holds onto the towel that’s wrapped around her torso. When Alison can see the side of Emily’s face, the brunette doesn’t seem to be breathing at all, and she looks almost  _ scared _ . The other girl’s blue eyes flicker along Emily’s soft skin, and, before she can stop herself, her lips are pressing against the tanned girl’s shoulder. 

At first, Emily seems to relax into the sensation and Alison swears that a soft sigh escaped the brunette’s lips at one point but, before another second passes, distance is put between their bodies as Emily flees the locker room’s main space with a broken “I have to go.”

“Em, you’re my ride home,” Alison follows the other girl who runs into a nearby changing space. 

Meanwhile, Emily feels like she’s suffocating as she closes the door that, begrudgingly, doesn’t even have a lock. Tears escape her eyes as she grits her teeth and practically strangles herself while she attempts to pull her bathing suit off. When she realizes that her clothes are still in her swim locker, the girl’s brown eyes drown in more tears, and, somehow, she chokes out a small “Ali?”

Alison, waiting nearby, scurries over to the sound.

“I’m right here. What?”

“Can you please get my clothes? They’re in my locker,” Emily is surprised that she can get any words out but, of course, they’re completely broken up by her tears and tightened throat. 

“Sure,” Alison’s eyebrows furrow in distress when she isn’t sure how to comfort Emily after, well,  _ that _ .

The blonde runs over to the other girl’s locker and rummages through it, grabbing the pile of clothes as fast as possible. When she returns, she throws the items over the metal door and Emily mutters a quick “Thanks.” Alison, in return, hums before she speaks again.

“I’ll find another ride, Em. It’s fine.”

“No, you don’t have to.”

“You’re practically hiding from me in there, Emily. Really, it’s━”

“Alison, I said you don’t have to.”

The girl waiting outside of the small changing room stands there with wide eyes, never hearing that tone come from Emily who has always been the softest out of their entire group. At the sound, something inside of Alison shatters, and, if she’s being honest, she hopes that she doesn’t have to become accustomed to the sharp tone. 

“Whatever,” she finally shakes her head and runs a hand through her damp hair.

Emily, finally, emerges from the small room and, without another word, brushes past Alison who stands there with narrowed eyes. She runs back over to her locker and grabs more of her things, taking only another few seconds before she turns back to Alison with a forced smile and a cheery “Ready to go?”

“I guess,” Alison eyes her skeptically, and the brunette walks out of the locker room.

Instead of following the other girl, Alison stands there with balled fists and a clenched jaw as she stares at the floor.  _ “Whatever,” _ she internally repeats, and suddenly she feels like throwing a tantrum with a string of cuss words and crying. Her throat tightens by every passing second, and multiple tears trail down her cheeks while she stands in the locker room doorway, alone, as Emily mindlessly makes her way down one of Rosewood High’s hallways, not realizing that the blonde remains far back, breaking down as her heart practically disintegrates. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By the way, I promise that I'm not brushing off anyone's ideas. I'm just posting whatever one-shot I feel is appropriate for the day. No worries!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily still works at The Radley’s bar, and Alison visits her as a customer. While she’s there, a random guy begins to flirt with her, thus resulting in a very jealous Emily ━ Set sometime after 7x10 ━ As requested.

It’s not the  _ worst  _ job in the world, Emily thinks as she cleans the bar with a white rag. Sure, the money isn’t the best and, all too often, she has to tend to some extremely obnoxious drunks (even if they’re dressed in fancy suits and ties), but things could be worse, right?

She hadn’t heard from Rosewood High’s administrators yet (or, well, Principal Hackett), so she’s been scrambling to make money wherever she can, resulting in her longer shifts at The Radley. It’s been a trade off, that’s for sure, because she’s been too busy to see Alison who keeps asking if they can hang out but, really, the brunette is just trying to scrape together some money so things can,  _ finally _ , be better ━ for the both of them ━  _ especially  _ after Alison dropped that bomb on her about a week ago:

_ “I’m pregnant.” _

The words have replayed in Emily’s mind over and over again, continuing on one, monotonous cycle as she lies in bed every night. It’s not like she hates the idea or even  _ despises  _ it, but she does, in fact, hate how it came about. If she didn’t loathe Elliott Rollins/Archer Dunhill/whoever-the-fuck he actually was before this happened… she sure does now.  _ Violation _ , her eyes scan the bar’s surface as her hand stops moving for a split second ━ it’s pure violation. Evil or not, what the actual fuck? And she can’t exactly voice these thoughts to Alison because, let’s face it, the blonde girl already has enough to think about.

Yeah, where was that piece of mind hours ago? Emily internally rolls her eyes at herself; she had gone to Alison’s house after school to check on the girl since she was home with a “stomach bug,” and, well, they didn’t have the most smooth-flowing conversation. In fact, it was more along the lines of Alison accusing Emily of “avoiding” her, which the brunette shook her head at. 

_ “Ali, I promise it’s not like that,”  _ she stressed.

_ “Really, Em? Then what is it?” _ the other girl crossed her arms.  _ “You’ve barely spoken to me since…”  _ her voice trailed off.  _ “I thought we were on the same page. When I kissed you…” _

_ “I don’t even know what page you’re on, Alison!” _

_ “Maybe we’d discuss it if you actually stopped avoiding me!” _

They never talked things out because, right when the brunette was about to open her mouth again, her phone alarm chimed, signaling the beginning of her bartending shift. She muttered a quick  _ “I have to go to work. I’ll call you later” _ to Alison and, within the next minute, walked out. 

Maybe she  _ has  _ been a little cold, in all honesty. Emily doesn’t  _ want  _ to be guarded, per se, but who’s to say that Alison isn’t just leaning on her for comfort? 

_ “That’s not why, I promise.” _

Sure, the words had fallen from her lips so casually and weightlessly, but did she mean them? At the time, yeah, Emily’s own lips parted at the admission and she felt herself melting into the other girl’s embrace, but now? Who knows. Emily would  _ love  _ to have a deeper relationship with Alison, no question, but why keep chasing someone who never seems to chase you just as much? That’s how the brunette looks at it. 

Her eyes zone out from the bar’s surface and she throws the rag into a bin underneath the countertop. Next, she scans the length of the lounge, noting the various types and personalities of people who are standing around, some alone but most paired off with their respective significant other and/or best friend. She sighs and pulls her phone out of her pocket, hitting a button to see no new messages popping up on her screen. Another sigh falls from her lips as she slides the device back in its former location.

When she looks up, she’s stunned to lock eyes with none other than Alison DiLaurentis, staring back at her with a conflicted expression. She looks determined, almost, or maybe just lost. The blonde girl slides onto a stool without saying a word, propping her purse onto the bar before leaning her chin on her fist. Judging by the look she gives Emily, she’s waiting for the brunette to say something, however earns no greeting. Emily keeps her eyes locked with those infamous blue orbs, silently wondering why the blonde just so  _ casually  _ showed up ━ yet “casually” can’t be used to describe the way she’s dressed: tight, dark jeans, accompanied by a deep red blouse and short, leather jacket. Her hair falls nicely, and it has much more volume than usual, almost as if she spent some time (or maybe _ a lot _ ) on her entire outfit. 

“You’re staring,” she breaks the tension before Emily can.

The other girl looks away suddenly, a slight blush covering her cheeks when she evades Alison’s growing smirk. 

“Ali, don’t take this the wrong way━”

“Oh, because that’s a  _ great  _ way to start a conversation.”

Emily rolls her eyes, feeling tired, “Why are you here? You can’t drink, and if you think I’m going to serve you alcohol, then━”

“Relax, Emily,” she cuts off the bartender’s rant. “Can I just have an iced tea?”

“Sure, hold on,” Emily huffs, and when Alison gives her an offended look, she finishes, “sorry, I don’t mean to be snappy.”

“You better work on that since I’m technically your customer right now,” comes the reminder, and Emily makes a face at the other girl, though she can’t see because the brunette’s back is turned while she whips together the simple drink.

“Did you just want to get out of the house, or…” Emily wonders aloud when she turns around with the drink, offering her a quiet “Here” when she puts it down.

Alison hums, “I guess you could say that.”

Emily raises an eyebrow at the statement.

“I wanted to see you,” she confesses. “I miss hanging out with you.”

The brunette smiles gently but, before she can speak, their conversation is interrupted by a scruffy yet clean-looking guy, and Emily notes that he’s been at The Radley for at least two hours now, bouncing from girl to girl ━ some looking  _ much  _ younger than him. 

“Out on a school night, Ms. DiLaurentis?” 

“I’m sorry, do I know you?” she shakes her head and raises an eyebrow at the man.

Emily purses her lips and tries her hardest not to laugh at the confrontation.

“Mm,” he gives her a negative hum, matching her raised eyebrow, “probably not. I work on the school board.”

“Ah,” Alison breathes out, and that’s the end of her response.

Although Emily wants to stick around and keep an eye on Alison, another customer calls her from across the bar, so she regretfully tears herself away and walks over to the giggling red-head, memorizing her drink order and straight away going to fill it. She turns her back as she makes the two complex drinks, cautiously side-eyeing Alison and seeing that the man is still trying his best to talk to her. His smile is a bit too wide and his eyes keep sparkling as if he’s trying to really  _ get somewhere  _ with Alison, and Emily clears her throat as she tears her gaze away. 

Once the drinks are made, Emily brings them back to the girl and earns a small tip which, really, she doesn’t care about because her brown eyes just keep floating back to the blonde who sits at the other end of the bar, being hit on by some random dude. As she moves back to her former side of the counter, her back remains facing Alison as she cleans some of the bottles. She eavesdrops on the conversation, noting how uninterested the blonde sounds with whatever he’s saying, and the bartender shakes her head with a quiet laugh.

At the sound, both Alison and the man look up at the brunette who is finally turned around, wiping at the inside of a glass. His eyes look her up and down before narrowing slightly, and Alison’s gaze bounces between the two, shifting slightly. Soon, he goes back to speaking to the blonde alone. 

“Are you going on that Paris trip with the students?” 

Emily’s eyes snap to Alison’s, and the blonde tries not to blush, however fails and the man catches it as he moves a few inches closer. The brunette swallows hard and her nostrils flare, not-so-subtly glaring at the man. Alison (finally) notices, and a devilish smirk crosses her features. 

“You know,” she turns to the man, “I’ve been thinking about it. It’d be nice to get away.”

“I’ve been going for the past two years and, I’ll tell you, it’s something you don’t want to miss out on,” he tilts his head.

Emily purses her lips and turns around, forcefully tearing herself away from the two making sweet conversation at the bar ━ not to mention Alison’s knowing eyes, which she had noticed seconds beforehand. 

“Bartender,” the man wiggles his pointer finger at Emily, slightly beckoning her to come over.

“Mhm?” Emily keeps a tight-lipped smile as Alison tries to read her.

“Scotch, please,” he smiles, and the bartender walks away to prepare his drink.

Emily begins to look at the different bottles of whiskeys, fumbling with a few of the glasses in front. She hears Alison laugh, and that’s when her hand twitches so hard that she accidentally flips over a bottle. It doesn’t break, but it makes a loud-enough clanking noise that Alison raises a daring eyebrow at Emily, causing the brunette to turn back around and take a deep breath. 

She eventually brings the man his drink with a curt “Here you go,” earning a thankful smile and a wink. Alison stiffens next to the man off of the gesture, and Emily raises her eyebrows with a head tilt. The blonde simply looks away, especially when she can already smell the whiskey radiating off of the man next to her. 

“Sorry,” his drink is placed back onto the counter as he turns back to Alison, “did you want something to drink?”

The brunette eyes Alison’s iced tea and notes that it’s still practically full, and she literally wants to smack the man.

“I’m all set, thanks.”

“You’re sure?”

“I don’t drink,” the blonde looks at the bar’s surface, her hands cupping the cold glass in front of her.

“Really?” comes his surprised response.

“Do I look like the type to drink often?” she challenges, feeling pretty offended that the man seems so heavily shocked.

“I don’t think alcoholics have a specific aesthetic,” he tries to joke, but Alison’s eyes widen.

“So, you’re implying that I’m an alcoholic?” 

Emily wants to laugh super hard, but she turns around and bites on her knuckle, trying to keep her laughter at bay; it’s just too funny listening to Alison practically end someone for all the right reasons. 

“No, I wasn’t implying anything. I’m sorry if I━”

“If you what?”

Suddenly, they all hear another person’s voice coming from somewhere behind the bar.

“Emily, your shift’s finished. I’ll take over. Thanks,” a bald man shimmies by the brunette’s backside, giving her a swift head-nod. 

Truly, she didn’t even realize that it’s already just past 11:00 P.M., but, man, is she thankful. So, the brunette whips her apron off, walks away from the bar, and travels down a side hallway, only to be followed by Alison who doesn’t even bother saying goodbye to the flirtatious man. The blonde’s eyes drift downwards as Emily walks into a small room, clocking out as fast as possible. When she exits, the other girl is waiting with a shy smile.

“Can we please talk?” 

Emily sighs and looks down, “Ali, I━”

The blonde huffs and rolls her eyes, immediately grabbing Emily’s hand and dragging her down one of The Radley’s long hallways. The grip on the brunette’s wrist is pretty determined, even though Emily doesn’t even _try_ to break free. 

Her voice is tired, “Alison, where are we━”

The rest of her question is lost when Alison opens a janitor’s closet door and shoves her inside. The blonde immediately finds a light switch and flips it on, illuminating the small, cluttered room with a white, flickering light. They both smell a strong cleaning product, but ignore it as much as possible, especially because their faces aren’t even a full foot apart. 

“Why are we in here? I’m tired,” Emily looks around while Alison keeps staring at her.

“And I’m tired of you acting like shit didn’t happen between us. Like that kiss didn’t happen,” her voice slightly cracks.

“Ali━”

“Don’t,” the girl swallows hard as she looks down. “Look, Em, if you want to forget it, then you can. But I won’t… I  _ can’t _ .”

“That’s not it, Alison.”

“Please stop saying that,” her eyes float to the ceiling as she breathes out a sad laugh.

“I’m sorry,” Emily chews on her bottom lip. 

Alison lets a single tear roll down her cheek, and the other girl reaches out so she can wipe it away. It doesn’t help, really, because the gesture only makes the blonde girl cry more as her lower lip quivers. She looks down when the tears don’t stop falling, and Emily wraps her in a hug.

“I can’t forget it either,” the brunette confesses, dragging her nails along Alison’s back.

“But you can ignore it,” comes the whisper, and Emily almost misses it because it’s so soft. 

“I’m not trying to, Alison, I swear,” she backs up. “I’ve just been busy with everything, and my thoughts are just… a mess.”

“Well, how do you feel?” her voice is small, and she feels shy as she stands, now, even closer to the other girl ━ which, ultimately, makes it hard for either of them to concentrate. 

Alison looks at her, trying to read the other girl as much as possible. Her heart beats faster while her own thoughts race, and that's when she decides to take matters into her own hands. When Emily still doesn’t answer, Alison takes a step closer so their noses brush against one another, and the brunette’s breath catches in her throat.

The blonde whispers, “How do you feel about me?” as her lips briefly touch Emily’s.

The other girl’s lips part in response, but nothing comes out. Alison waits, her eyes fluttering open as she looks at Emily’s expression. Somehow, the brunette finds her voice, but it comes out like a strangled whisper while Alison presses her body closer.

“How do you feel about  _ me _ ?” 

If Alison is taken aback by the question, she doesn’t show it. Instead, she flashes a soft smile, and maintains eye contact with Emily who waits for an answer. Soon, the brunette is being backed up against a nearby shelf, carefully making sure that nothing falls over. The closet is only big enough to take two normal-sized steps side to side each way, and the door occupies most of one wall, so the atmosphere thickens gradually within seconds ━ even more so when Alison fully presses her body against Emily’s, her nose nudging against the brunette’s partially. The trapped girl slightly grabs onto the shelf behind her, feeling as if she’s being preyed upon while the other girl’s hands gently grip onto her hips. 

Alison’s lips move along Emily’s within the following second, just brushing together to the point where each girl can barely feel the sensation, but definitely know it’s there.

“What do you think?” comes the eventual response, and Emily can feel her heart beating faster with the mounting time (and tension). 

The brunette’s hands eventually wander along the other girl’s body as their lips continue to brush against each other without actually kissing. Her fingertips travel underneath Alison’s small jacket and, occasionally, her blouse, eliciting a few sharp inhales from the blonde girl. Emily’s lower lip trembles as she feels Alison’s breath hitting her skin, and, truly, she wonders how she’s still standing right now. 

“Tell me,” the brunette chokes out, and the command is barely audible towards the end.

Suddenly, she feels her lip being tugged on. It’s released just a split second later, but her eyes flutter shut at the sensation. Alison sees the dazed expression and gently kisses the corner of Emily’s mouth, making sure to barely press against the girl’s skin so she can’t feel much. When she backs up a fraction, they lock eyes once the brunette’s flicker open. 

“I want…” her lips move against Emily’s as she speaks, “to be yours.”

Alison’s hands travel up the front of Emily’s button-up shirt, slightly fiddling with the suspenders to the girl’s uniform. The brunette barely breathes, feeling like she’s about to turn into a puddle of mush. Once the blonde’s arms lock behind her neck, Emily licks her lips.

“Do you?” she finally whispers.

The blonde waits a second, a gentle smirk tugging at the corner of her lips, and then she nods. They make complete eye contact again, followed by Alison leaning forward and pressing her lips against Emily’s more than she has in this entire closet-hideout session. The brunette allows a soft, throaty moan to be heard, just as her body is pressed further against the shelving. She feels Alison’s nails gently scrape at the back of her neck, partially tangling in her dark hair, and her own hands get lost somewhere underneath the blonde’s blouse, dragging along her lower back. The girl whimpers into Emily’s mouth, causing her legs to almost give out, but she holds up and drags her tongue along Alison’s lower lip. She’s quickly granted access when the blonde’s lips part, and they fight for dominance in the kiss ━ especially when Emily’s hands dare to travel lower, sliding into Alison’s back pockets. The brunette gets her lower lip tugged on again, harder this time, before it’s released as the other girl backs up with a smirk. 

Emily looks at her confusingly with a slight “what are you up to?” kind of smile, and Alison’s smirk grows when she puts a single finger on the light switch. 

“Now, don’t take this the wrong way,” the devious girl quotes the bartender’s words from before.

The brunette’s lustful gaze flickers between Alison’s lips and blue eyes, licking her own lips before the entire closet goes black ━ save the soft, yellow stream of light that peeks through the bottom of the door. First, Emily wonders where the other girl is and what she’s doing after she hears a soft thud but, not a moment later, she’s answered when her lips are being kissed again ━ and, this time, it’s much more heated. She doesn’t miss a beat, and her hands glide along Alison’s jacketless torso, earning a strangled moan when her fingertips dip underneath the waistline of the girl’s tight jeans. The blonde’s hands end up gripping the shelf behind Emily’s shoulders when she feels open-mouthed kisses being pressed down the skin of her neck, and she can’t stop the chain of noises falling from her lips at a rapid rate. Her nails dig into the metal storage surface, and allows a louder moan to pass her lips once Emily nips at her pulse point, soothing the skin afterwards. The brunette smiles gently as she works against the other girl’s neck, eventually making her way back to the girl’s mouth to kiss her lips again. Her mouth muffles the rest of Alison’s moans and whimpers, resulting from her further-wandering hands, and that’s when the blonde backs up.

She flashes another smirk, although Emily can’t see, and pulls at the brunette’s suspenders before letting them snap back into place. The other girl grunts at the feeling, but she’s quickly pulled towards the closet door once Alison has picked up her jacket and purse.

The blonde opens the barrier and runs her free hand through her hair, shaking slightly so, just maybe, she doesn’t look like she’s been making out in a closet for the past forty minutes. Emily watches the girl’s backside sway with every step, quickly looking away once Alison glances backwards. She’s caught, however, and Alison licks her lips. They come to an abrupt stop before leaving the hallway, and Alison turns around to press another, gentle kiss to the corner of Emily’s lips.

“Intentional or not,” she whispers against the girl’s cheek, “you won’t be able to ignore me after tonight.” 

Emily’s eyes widen and her lips part, just before she’s tugged out of the hallway, through the lobby, and out the front doors. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently many people enjoyed the Ch 9 one-shot, so I'll be making a sequel to it. Not sure when it'll be posted, however, since I have more ideas (and requests) to post!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily and Alison go on a date ━ Bonus: Paige reacts to seeing Emison in public ━ Set after 7x10 ━ As requested.

Emily fixes her studded, leather jacket while standing in the body-length mirror within Lucas’ loft. She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes, internally gathering up the courage to make it through this date ━ with  _ Alison _ , the girl she’s loved since, well,  _ forever _ .

A few days ago, the two were standing around Alison’s kitchen, discussing some random thing that had happened at Rosewood High hours prior, and Emily decided to change the subject.

_ “So,” she starts, “I was thinking…” _

_ Though she sounds cute and confident, on the inside, she’s shaking. Really, Emily’s thought about proposing the offer for at least a week now (or, technically, ever since that kiss on Alison’s couch), but she’s been too nervous to voice the question ━ until now.  _

_ Alison stares at the other girl, her head tilted with narrowed eyes when Emily doesn’t resume speaking. _

_ “Em?” the blonde quirks an eyebrow. “You okay?” _

_ “Oh, yeah, sorry,” she shakes her head. “I was wondering…” _

_ The other girl leans against the countertop. _

_ “Would you like to go out sometime?” _

_ At first, Alison’s lips part and she takes in a shaky breath ━ not in a rejecting way, but she’s just caught off-guard. When she doesn’t respond after another long moment, Emily internally panics and covers her tracks, nervously getting out an explanation. _

_ “I figured you haven’t been out in a while aside from working, and━” _

_ “Like a date?” Alison’s voice is quiet when she cuts the other girl off, but her eyes sparkle.  _

_ “Well,” Emily swallows, “that depends on if you’d like it to be.” _

_ The other girl narrows her eyes with a smirk. _

_ “Friday night?” the blonde suggests. _

_ “Oh, um, sure,” Emily forces a smile, genuinely surprised that Alison wants to go on a date.  _

_ “Great,” Alison matches the smile.  _

Emily continues to stare at herself in the mirror before she forces a smile and walks out of the room, eventually ending up in the loft’s main space. As she gets her things ready, Hanna walks through the front door, and Emily internally groans at the impending qu━

“Where are you going all dressed up?” Hanna smirks and moves over to Emily, picking at the brunette’s leather jacket and earning a sharp swat. 

Emily sighs, “I’m going out.”

“On a date?”

“Maybe.”

“On a date?” she repeats the question.

“Yes, Hanna, I am going on a date,” Emily huffs. 

“With whom?” the other girl raises an eyebrow, smiling gently. 

The brunette stands there like a deer caught in headlights, her mouth opening and closing when she can’t come up with a lie nor can she escape the situation by just walking out. She crosses her arms and looks at the ceiling, taking a deep breath when Hanna continues to stare at her.

“ _ Well _ ?” she pries. 

Emily uncrosses her arms, looks at her hands, and plays with her fingers, rubbing her palms together before facing the other girl again.

“I’m going out with Alison.”

“On a date?” the same question is asked again.

The other girl’s eyes widen, “Yes, I  _ just  _ told you that.”

“I was just trying to clarify,  _ jeez _ , Em.”

They stand there, quietly, and Emily crosses her arms again, more so in defense than anything.

“Are you two…?” Hanna begins, cautiously looking at the girl in front of her.

Emily waits for Hanna to finish the thought, an expectant look written across her features. 

“ _ Together _ ?” the blonde finds a general term.

She sighs, “No, I don’t think so. It’s just a date.”

“Do you  _ want  _ to be?”

The brunette’s eyes bounce around the room, avoiding Hanna’s gaze but seeing the blonde out of her peripheral vision. Her expression stems from realization and she nods her head slowly, flashing Emily an understanding smile immediately after.

“Does she?”

Emily shrugs, “I don’t know.”

Because it’s true: she’s not sure if Alison actually wants to attempt to have a real relationship. Sure, they’ve been endlessly flirting, and even sharing kisses here and there, but they’ve never really  _ talked  _ about any of it; until the other day when Alison accepted her date offer, they could’ve been labeled “friends with benefits.” Emily internally rolls her eyes at the phrase. 

“Well, go have fun, Em. You both deserve it.”

“Thank you,” she breathes out and passes Hanna, being stopped in her tracks when she hears her name called again.

“Hm?” Emily hums while she spins around.

Hanna smiles, “You look hot.”

Emily rolls her eyes and laughs, exiting the loft as fast as she can so she isn’t late to pick up Alison.

 

X X X

 

“So, how are you?” Emily asks while sitting across from a dressed up Alison.

She laughs, “You  _ just  _ saw me hours ago and asked the same thing.”

“Yeah, but that was at school, and it was only for a few minutes.”

“ _ Well _ ?” the brunette pries after a silent stare-down. 

“I’m fine,” Alison shrugs. “The usual.”

“Hm,” Emily raises her eyebrows as she takes a sip of water. 

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“Tell me.”

“You look nice,” Emily changes the subject and Alison rolls her eyes but smiles.

“I’m glad you think so. Took me long enough to get ready,” she mumbles the last part.

Alison stares at the other girl, narrowing her eyes gradually. 

“What’s the real reason why you asked me out tonight?” 

Emily swallows hard, being caught off-guard by the question. She bites her inner cheek and looks away, Alison’s gaze boring into her temple ━ and she can practically  _ feel  _ it. The brunette opens her mouth, but closes it without saying anything, causing the girl sitting across from her to chuckle. 

“I’m just wondering,” Alison shrugs. “I want you to be honest with me.”

She side-eyes the blonde and sighs, a shy smile gracing her face before she speaks.

“I’ve wanted to go out with you for a bit now,” she confesses. “I didn’t know how to ask, though.”

Alison rolls her eyes, “I figured that much.” 

Emily’s forehead creases and she frowns, causing the other girl to snicker. 

“Don’t give me that. I was waiting for you to ask.” 

“You were?”

“ _ Yeah _ ,” it’s Alison’s turn to furrow her eyebrows, frowning at the amount of surprise laced in Emily’s question.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Emily mumbles. “I just… I didn’t know━”

“If I liked you?”

Their eyes lock and Alison’s smile turns extremely shy, sinking into her seat a little as she breathes out and tries to drum up some confidence. Emily watches her like a hawk, tilting her head a little and smirking when Alison, now, is speechless. 

“Well I do,” the blonde nods, biting her inner cheek afterwards. 

“Good.”

“That’s it?”

Emily laughs as Alison stares at her with expectant eyes. 

“What?” she laughs harder. 

The other girl frowns, looking away.

“I like you too, Ali.”

Before either of them get the chance to speak again, Paige walks into the restaurant and begins talking to the hostess, her voice drifting to Emily and Alison’s table, causing the blonde to turn her head towards the unwanted guest. She quietly groans and looks away, her hands shifting in her lap as she hugs her stomach. Emily furrows her eyebrows at the other girl’s body language, initially not realizing what happened until she, also, turns her head to see Paige waving at her. Emily offers the other girl a curt smile before turning back to Alison. 

“Ignore her, Ali,” she speaks softly. 

“She’s everywhere, Em,” Alison’s expression is pointed, and she practically speaks through her teeth.

“We’re in a public place, Alison. I can’t just get rid of her.”

“I know,” she sighs, staring at the table top.

Paige continues glaring at the two, and Alison can see it out of the corner of her eye so she tries forcing herself to smile as much as she can, which Emily raises an eyebrow at. 

“You don’t need to pretend to be comfortable,” the brunette rolls her eyes.

Alison’s expression falls and she breathes out, “I’m just trying  _ not  _ to ruin this.”

“You’re not ruining anything,” Emily grins while reaching across the table to grab Alison’s hand, “I promise.”

“Are you sure?” the blonde’s genuine smile returns as their fingers intertwine. 

“I’m having a great time.”

On the other side of the room, Paige eyes the two carefully and slightly rolls her eyes, noticeably forcing a smile when the hostess mutters “Follow me,” and brings the girl into an adjacent room, far out of Alison and Emily’s view ━  _ thankfully _ . 

Alison laughs, “Me too.”

“Because she’s gone?” Emily asks knowingly, a laugh of her own coming out.

“No. Because I’m actually having a great time,” her voice is honest, and Emily blushes slightly at the admission.

When Emily doesn’t respond, the blonde continues, “We should do it again sometime.”

“I’d like that,” Emily’s smile from before returns, and Alison mirrors it.

The rest of their date goes by smoothly ━ well,  _ more  _ than just smoothly; the two end up loving one another’s company ten times more than usual, and it feels great to be out in public together ━ on a  _ date _ , especially. Throughout the night, Alison’s feelings seem to grow whenever the other girl smiles and talks about something that excites her, and vise-versa. The blonde surprises herself, actually, because she always thought that she already knew so much about Emily, however that’s not the case. In fact, Emily shares some California stories with her, some containing details that really catch her off-guard. 

Emily, much like Alison, feels herself growing much more fond of the girl across from her (like that’s even possible) whenever the blonde talks about things that have happened over the course of the past five years ━  _ purposely  _ excluding Rollins (or Archer, whatever). They ask one another questions, and share minor details that don’t exactly matter anywhere else. Their hands remain clasped for an extended amount of time, aside from when they get their food, and they both enjoy every second of the date.

After walking out of the restaurant, Alison timidly stands in front of Emily, pursing her lips. When the other girl asks what’s wrong, the blonde just smiles shyly and says, “I was wondering… if you’d like to come over and watch a movie,” and Emily accepts the offer with a teasing “Isn’t the ‘dinner and a movie’ concept a bit cliché?” Alison just rolls her eyes and walks away, causing the brunette to quickly follow so she can drive them back to Alison’s house. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little date-night fluff for you.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily talks to the baby every night ━ Established Emison; sometime after 7x10 ━ As requested.

“Are you  _ sure  _ you don’t need anything before I get comfortable?” Emily talks animatedly as she looks, bug-eyed, at the blonde already tucked in underneath the comforter.

She continues, “Because if I get into bed and you need something else━”

“You’ll get it without any complaints,” Alison challenges in a flat tone, eyes closed as she lies against her pillow.

Emily stands there as her arms fall to her sides; the other girl is right, but it’s still annoying that she’s fully aware. When the brunette doesn’t move or get into bed, Alison’s unreadable facial expression turns into something a bit more teasing, and she smirks before her eyes finally flutter open. 

“Get into bed, Em,” her voice is soft. “I’m fine, I promise.”

“You don’t need any water? A heating pad? Food?” she continues to list, walking towards the bed with every suggestion that falls from her lips. 

“If you don’t get under the covers soon, you’re sleeping downstairs.”

“There’s always the guest bedroom,” Emily shrugs with a joking tone.

Alison sighs, “Fine, I’ll sleep alone. It’s okay if you really don’t want to━”

The brunette chuckles and slides into bed, causing the mattress to dip as Alison smiles softly.

“I knew you’d choose to join me,” comes Alison’s smug remark.

“I didn’t choose to join  _ you _ ,” she exaggerates the last word, and the blonde rolls her eyes hard. 

“Don’t start,” Alison breathes out a laugh, placing her hands over her stomach as if she’s shielding both her and the baby. 

“Ali, you know I have to. It’s our nightly thing.”

The other girl groans, shifting slightly as Emily shimmies closer. 

It’s been nice having the brunette around, no doubt, but there have been nights when Alison just wants to sleep and the other girl won’t stop holding a one-sided conversation with the small human inside of her.  _ “Because that doesn’t sound creepy at all,”  _ Alison internally scoffs as she raises her eyebrows. Sometimes, actually, her stomach will shift ━ something that nearly made her throw up when it happened for the first time. Thankfully, Emily was there, and she saw the tears welling up in Alison’s eyes as she looked down at her lower torso. When it happened the second time, Emily was there again and, that time, she felt it too. After that, the brunette made it her mission to program her voice into the small being’s mind, talking to him or her every single night before they go to bed.

That’s another thing that’s happened fairly recently. Once a few weeks progressed (not to mention their actual relationship), Emily officially moved into the DiLaurentis house.  _ “This may or may not be a stupid question,” _ the brunette joked once Alison suggested that she should move in, _ “am I sleeping with you, or in the guest room?”  _ The other girl snorted at the question, earning a giant pout ━ but, of course, she immediately kissed it away. 

Their friends have been super supportive as well, and Hanna has kept Emily down to Earth quite a few times when the brunette panicked about leaving Alison alone for a few hours. 

_ “Thank you so much,”  _ Alison breathed out when Hanna came to pick up Emily for a few hours of “quality time.”

_ “I figured you’d need to breathe a bit. Super-protective-Emily is in full swing, isn’t she?” _

_ “Yes,”  _ she laughed,  _ “I mean, I might sound a bit ungrateful, but that’s really not it. I love Em━” _

Alison stopped in the middle of the declaration, bug-eyed as Hanna looked at her with an expectant “what were you going to say?” kind of expression. Both blondes stood there, staring at one another, and that’s when Emily interrupted the two with a concerned  _ “Is everything okay? Alison, is━” _

_ “I’m fine, Em. Go and have fun,”  _ she practically shoved the other girls over the threshold. 

“Hey,” Emily’s quiet whisper breaks the blonde out of her thoughts, “did you fall asleep already?”

She partially hovers over Alison, smiling gently. The girl pressed against the mattress can’t come up with a response, however, so she licks her lips and cranes her neck upwards so she can kiss the brunette. Emily smiles against Alison’s mouth, allowing herself to get lost in the lip-lock like she’s been doing time and time again lately. Soon, she backs up a fraction and puts barely an inch between their lips, but Alison quickly closes the gap again, pulling the other girl down by holding the back of her neck. Emily moves over so she doesn’t end up on top of the other girl ━ not that Alison would really care ━ and kisses her harder.

This time, it’s Alison’s turn to smile into the kiss, feeling shy yet empowered by the reactions she gets from the other girl whenever they’re being intimate. It’s not often that they get heated because, well, the blonde’s never exactly the most comfortable (both physically and emotionally), but, when they do, there’s an even bigger connection than there was before. Now that they’re older, they both know what they want and, even though the circumstances aren’t the most ideal, they’re making things work. If Alison’s being honest, she had been extremely worried about going any further than just kissing, at first ━ even when her pregnancy wasn’t all that noticeable (and, really, she’s still not  _ all  _ that far along). Surprisingly (in Alison’s mind), it never affected the way Emily looked at her while getting close in bed or ( _ whoops _ ) on the couch. If anything has changed, the brunette makes sure to love Alison two times as much nowadays, because she’s seen how the girl looks at herself in the morning whilst getting ready for the day ahead, and, well, Alison deserves to feel confident. 

“You’re so beautiful,” Emily backs up again, her eyes flickering open as if she was reading Alison’s swirling thoughts. 

The other girl smiles big, though her cheekbones tint a light shade of pink at the compliment. Even though she’s been called “beautiful” over and over, it still makes her heart flutter when the word falls from Emily’s lips. 

So, she goes to connect their lips once again but, this time, the brunette pulls back fully.

“I know you’re just trying to distract me so I forget about this nightly tradition,” she accuses with narrowed eyes before laying her head down on Alison’s chest.

“Actually, I really wanted to kiss you,” the blonde rolls her eyes, “but I guess you have more important things to do.”

“Your mother is a pain,” Emily begins talking to the baby, and Alison grunts. 

“And we’re calling it a ‘tradition’ now?” comes Alison’s next wonder, practically talking to herself since the other girl is now having her own conversation. 

“And I think she’s a wee bit jealous,” the brunette continues, shifting her head against the other girl’s chest. 

“Em, they’re not going to respond to you. He or she is probably fast asleep, so you might as well just━”

“Shh,” Emily shushes the other girl who frowns.

“Excuse me?”

She begins to giggle, and Alison flicks at the side of her head, earning a sharp “Ow, Ali.”

“You deserved it!” 

“No, I really don’t think I did.”

Alison groans when Emily still doesn’t move but, within seconds, she relaxes as she gives up; clearly, the other girl isn’t going to stop anytime soon ━ just like every single night. So, to occupy herself, she begins to run her fingers through Emily’s hair, dragging her nails across the girl’s scalp as she continues her one-sided conversation.

“As I was saying,” the brunette smiles as she looks at her fingers, partially playing with her nails as she speaks absentmindedly, “your mother is an absolute pain, and sometimes I wonder why I put up with her.”

“Hey!” Alison squeaks out with a slight laugh.

“It’s part of the story, Ali, I can’t help it.”

“What story?”

“ _ Our _ story.”

Suddenly, she’s curious, and her lips part but nothing comes out in response. 

“You know, Ali and I… we’ve been through a lot,” she smiles sadly, and Alison can feel the girl’s mouth move against her lower chest, “and, when I say a lot, I mean…  _ a lot _ .”

Alison breathes out a soft laugh as she listens ━ well, eavesdrops, kind of.

“When we were younger, well, things were complicated. Who am I kidding? They’re always complicated,” she shakes her head, “but we somehow made it through. After  _ everything _ . After terrible things happened and, even now, we’re still making it through.”

She continues after swallowing hard, “There was a point in time when I thought I wasn’t worth much when it comes to Ali, but you need to understand… she’s a complex character,” both girls chuckle, “and, sometimes, really,  _ really  _ stubborn.”

Really, neither girl prepared for an emotional roller coaster tonight and, if Alison is being honest, she could kick Emily’s ass right now for turning this nice night into something severely memory-induced. The brunette, on the other hand, also scolds herself for doing the same, but she carries on because, realistically, they both should hear this.

“We grew up, to say the least,” her voice is now more-serious, and Alison purses her lips as her fingers continue to tangle in the brunette’s hair. 

“I’ve never been happier. After everything…” Emily trails off, “we’re finally a ‘we,’ and next we’re going to be a ‘we’ with you, and it’s pretty nerve-wracking, but I’m also so  _ complete _ right now.”

The blonde chokes up a bit, and her eyes look upwards in order to stop the threatening tears. Emily wipes at her eyes slightly and laughs as much as she can, moving her head a bit in order to brush away any stray tears.

“ _ God _ , you’re so loved,” Emily finishes, wiping at her eyes again and taking a deep breath. 

Alison’s own tears spill out of the corner of her eyes, and she sniffles hard before she can stop herself. The other girl hears, and her eyes slam shut because she doesn’t want to put Alison on the spot but, really, she just wants to kiss her right now. So, without wasting any more time, Emily backs up and resumes her position from before. When they’re finally face to face again, Emily uses her thumb to wipe away any of Alison’s remaining tears, and she kisses the girl once before she looks into her eyes like before.

“You’re loved just as much,” Alison confesses, never blinking as her voice is barely audible. 

Emily’s expression turns shy, and she bites her bottom lip when she’s not sure what Alison means. When the blonde sees the reaction, she bites her inner cheek before drumming up more courage. 

“I love you, Emily,” comes a more-defined proclamation, and the other girl’s eyes sparkle with something deeper than just admiration and loyalty. 

“I love you too.”

“Em, I really want you to know… my feelings for you didn’t just come out of nowhere,” she swallows hard. “I think they’ve always been there. Maybe they were buried deep down, and I was just too hard-headed to see it, or maybe I didn’t  _ want  _ to at the time… but this love feels matured. Almost like it’s nothing new.” 

“Ali…”

“I really,  _ really  _ love you, and I’m sorry it’s taken so long for━”

The rest of her worries are cut off by the other girl’s lips, and she contently sighs into the kiss.

It’s been an extremely exhausting ride, definitely, but they’re together now and, in the end, that’s all that matters. So, as Emily pushes herself upwards a fraction so she can pour more love into the kiss, Alison smiles again and, happily, pulls the other girl’s body against her own, determined to make everything work out. 


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison being jealous of Paige and one of the other girls noticing ━ Sometime after 7x10 ━ As requested.

Alison and Aria sit on a bench just across from The Brew’s entrance. It’s a nice, sunny day, with a fairly strong breeze passing through ━ but not  _ too  _ forceful. Aria bounces her leg as they sit, thoroughly enjoying their small get-together. For a while now, they’ve been talking about hanging out, just them two, but nothing solid was ever planned. Finally, however, just a few days ago, Alison suggested that they take a walk somewhere.

_ “Where to?” _ Aria happily accepted the plans. 

No destination was ever set but, somehow, they ended up in the middle of town just an hour ago and, now, the two are situated on a brown bench as they exchange meaningless stories. 

“So, how are…  _ things _ ?” the short brunette treads carefully, her eyes briefly glancing at Alison’s stomach.

The other girl rolls her eyes with a chuckle, “Fine, considering everything that’s going on.”

“Tell me about it,” Aria mumbles as she crosses her legs while eyeing The Brew. 

“Is it just me or do you feel like things have quieted down lately?”

Aria nods partially, “I mean… I haven’t gotten any weird texts in a while. Kind of suspicious and maybe a bit terrifying.”

“A bit?”

“Okay,  _ a lot _ ,” her eyes go wide.

When Alison goes to respond again, her words die in her throat as she sees Paige walk up to someone who stands in front of The Brew, and, simultaneously, her blue eyes narrow. Aria doesn’t notice at first ━ and it takes her quite some time to turn towards Alison again. Eventually, however, she follows the blonde’s line of sight, and her eyes land on Paige as her own gaze narrows in confusion. 

“Ali, you can’t still be annoyed with Paige after all these years. Don’t get sucked back into high school drama.” 

“I just don’t buy the fact that she came back solely for that coaching position,” Alison speaks as her eyes bore into the back of Paige’s head. 

Aria shrugs, “Maybe she has family here.”

“I don’t care. They can visit her back in California. It’s like she followed Em back here,” she shifts her jaw. 

The other girl’s eyes narrow again but, this time, it’s in slight realization ━ or, she thinks,  _ accusation _ . 

“Are you… jealous?” 

Alison doesn’t confirm nor deny it; she just stares ahead at The Brew’s entrance while Paige,  _ finally _ , disappears into the building. Aria’s lips part as her eyes widen, leaning back against the bench. Soon, she turns her body in order to face Alison more than before.

“Is it Emily?” again, she treads carefully, but she sees Alison swallow and that’s when a tiny smile makes its way across her features.

“Do you  _ like  _ Emily?” 

The blonde girl sits there in silence ━ but her rosy cheeks give her away. 

“Since when?” Aria’s smile grows. 

“I don’t know,” she confesses after another few seconds, “or maybe I do. I don’t know,” a grunt follows the confusion.

“Have you talked to her about it?”

“Briefly.”

“Explain.”

Alison breathes out, “I kissed her and she pulled back. She thought I was doing it because I’m feeling vulnerable, but…” she shakes her head, “I don’t think she realizes that I’ve been confused for quite a while now.”

“What about when you were with…” Aria trails off, stopping herself from using the girl’s ex-husband’s name.

“Maybe,” Alison shrugs. “She was always a sense of security, you know? After a while, I think I confused attraction with protection and, well, I thought I was just using her.”

“I’m sure she did too.”

“I know she did,” the blonde bows her head. “If I could go back and change everything…”

“Life’s too short to regret things, Alison. The best you can do is work on things that are relevant  _ now _ .”

“What if she doesn’t feel the same? I know she’s been seeing Sabrina and,  _ God _ , Paige is back in the picture.”

“Trust me, I don’t think both of them combined could even come close to competing with you,” Aria chuckles.

Alison laughs as she shakes her head, “I don’t know. Maybe Emily deserves someone with less baggage.” 

“We all have baggage, Ali.  _ Everyone _ .”

“Not like I do.”

“Okay, tell me,” Aria starts. “If, today, Emily asked you out, would you take the time to tell her how she deserves better, or would you allow yourself to try and be what she deserves?”

“It’s not that simple, Aria.”

“Because you’re making it complicated, Alison,” the other girl fights back with a gentle smile.

“Yup, that’s me.”

“Okay, now you’re just being silly,” Aria rolls her eyes. “Really, Ali, you should talk to her about this. I genuinely believe that things will work out for you two, and, honestly, I want to see it happen.”

“You’re not afraid that I’m going to break her heart?” Alison raises an eyebrow at Aria who seems to think afterwards.

“No, I’m not,” she settles on saying, “but I can’t speak for Spencer or Hanna.”

“Great,” comes Alison’s sarcastic reply. 

“When are you seeing Emily next?”

“Tonight,” she chews on her lower lip as she looks at her hands. 

“Anything exciting planned?”

“You’re sure asking a lot of questions…”

Aria sits there, waiting for an answer. At first, the blonde just stares at her, reluctant to give in. Eventually, she huffs and rolls her eyes.

“We’re just having dinner at my place, and possibly watching a movie.”

“What are you wearing?”

“Aria…” her tone flattens into a slight warning.

Again, the other girl sits there with an expectant expression written across her features.

“I don’t know! Something casual, I guess. I didn’t exactly plan to wear anything extraordinary while eating dinner in my own home.”

“But it’s with  _ Emily _ ,” Aria corrects with a point of her finger and, suddenly, she’s getting off of the bench.

“Where are you going?” Alison raises an eyebrow.

“ _ We’re _ going to pick out an outfit for you,” she offers the blonde her hand and, without much hesitation, the girl complies and stands up, being dragged along the sidewalk almost immediately. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I'm still working on these. I have a lot to work on, so bear with me.
> 
> Sorry this one was super short-feeling, but it was nice enough to write. 
> 
> A note to those who are anxiously waiting for my new multi-chapter: It's moving along. Just a few minutes ago, "dilaurentisfields" (on Tumblr, obviously) finished revising Ch 2, and I have at least four more chapters to write before the entire thing is wrapped up.
> 
> Thanks for your continuous support when it comes to my writing.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison (with the help of Spencer) explains how she’s pregnant with Emily and Archer’s child ━ Possible sequel to the Ch 5 one-shot.

Alison paces back and forth in front of four pairs of eyes holding a mixture of disgust, confusion, and sympathy ━ aside from Emily who also has a guilty expression written across her features for some unknown reason. They’re situated in the DiLaurentis’ living room, and three girls sit on the couch while Emily is perched atop of the couch’s arm as she watches Alison walk the length of the room, arms crossed in a defensive manner.

“I feel like I’m missing something here,” Aria talks to Alison with slightly narrowed eyes.

“Yeah,” Hanna is next, “how  _ exactly  _ did this happen?” 

The other blonde huffs and stops in her tracks, groaning when she looks at the ceiling before turning to face the group. Emily bites her inner cheek and looks away, careful not to look straight at Alison because, really, she just can’t right now.

“I don’t know exactly,” Alison breathes out, “but it probably happened when I was in Welby because we didn’t…” she trails off, “when I got out, Archer was already dead, remember? He was the only one really taking care of me while I was in there.”

“I’m still lost,” comes Hanna’s response as she looks at Spencer. “Explain.”

“Why me?!”

“Do you really have to ask?” 

Spencer sighs and runs a hand through her hair, “Basically, Archer or whoever used their DNA with Emily’s donated egg or  _ eggs _ ,” she stresses.

“DNA?” Hanna raises an eyebrow.

“Sperm, Hanna,” Aria whisper-hisses and earns a noise from everyone. 

“Ew, okay,” comes Hanna’s response, “so it’s  _ not  _ Emily and Alison’s?”

“Did you take  _ any  _ health classes in high school, Han?” 

“Not any that I paid attention in,” she shrugs.

Alison rolls her eyes and resumes pacing. Emily, meanwhile, bites on her thumbnail as her eyes watch the walking blonde like a hawk.

“Okay,” Hanna starts again, “let me get this straight…”

Everyone groans. 

She continues, “It’s not Emily and Alison’s,  _ okay _ , but whose is it?”

“We assume Archer and Emily’s,” Spencer clarifies, and Alison frowns at the entire concept. 

“God, that’s so fucked up,” Hanna rubs at her eyelids. 

“Are you…” Aria starts, looking at Alison and not wanting to voice the entire question because, truly, she has no idea if it sounds too insensitive or not. 

“Keeping it?” Alison fills in the blank with a quiet voice once she’s stopped in her tracks. 

Emily’s brown eyes look at Alison and she meets blue almost immediately, and that’s when she offers a tight-lipped smile to the blonde who tears her gaze away in order to answer Aria’s question. 

“Yeah,” she takes a deep breath, “I am.”

“Why?” Hanna’s voice is quiet, almost as if she’s also afraid of the entire situation, and Alison wants to snap at her because she’s just so tired but, internally, she knows she’s changed into a better person and everyone deserves an answer.

“I just… I couldn’t go through with  _ not  _ keeping it,” comes the initial explanation, “especially because it’s Em’s.”

Spencer side-eyes Emily while talking to Alison, “Is she…”

“Okay with it?” Aria also side-eyes Emily, completing Spencer’s question. 

“We talked about it,” Emily nods, “and I’m supporting her no matter what she decides to do.”

Hanna lets a tiny smirk cross her features, also while glancing at Emily out of the corner of her eye. Emily notices this and blushes slightly, quickly turning away so she can regain some composure. Alison, at the same time, looks at Emily with a soft smile once they finally lock eyes while Spencer and Aria sit there silently ━ with Spencer looking as if she’s trying to massage some more information into her skull.

“But why  _ Emily’s  _ eggs?” Aria questions everyone in general. “I mean… was it just because hers were available at the time?”

Alison looks away and Emily starts to bite her thumbnail again. Hanna’s smirk widens but she looks down and sniffles in order to cover up any knowing facial expressions.

“There has to be something deeper than just availability,” Spencer theorizes. “We all know about your past with Emily, Ali. Do you think that could have━”

“I don’t know,” Alison cuts her off.

“Maybe he knew you wouldn’t go through with an abortion if it’s Em’s. That’s probably why you got that text,” Aria suggests. 

“So that means that Archer’s  _ definitely  _ working with someone who is alive,” everyone groans. 

“Who knows, but using Alison’s body as a revenge outlet is pretty fucking messed up,” Hanna leans back against the cushions.

“I don’t think A.D. really cares,” comes Aria’s stress when she faces the blonde next to her.

“Well, A.D. is fucked.”

“Yeah, we’ve known that for a while now,” Spencer mumbles.

“I’m just so tired,” Alison sighs and Emily moves over so the other girl can sit, earning a quiet “Thanks.” 

The now-standing brunette studies Alison’s face, noting how she probably hasn’t slept in a few days ━ or ever since she found out about this entire Petri-dished pregnancy. Recently, she’s stopped by repeatedly (and it likely annoys the crap out of Alison how often she’s visited), so, really, Alison isn’t alone at all, but the blonde definitely feels that way and it’s written across her face. Sure, their relationship has gotten more solid, and maybe they’re even considered to be “dating” now, but Alison definitely has some sort of internal battle going on and Emily can see it. 

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Alison reaches for Emily’s wrist, followed by her swaying their now-clasped hands as the other girls look on. Hanna, to no one’s surprise, cranes her neck forward so she can see the gesture with a full view, and she smirks harder than before. Spencer and Aria, on the other hand, look at one another with narrowed yet curious eyes, and that’s when Alison lets go and clears her throat. Emily just stands there furiously blushing as three pairs of knowing eyes bounce between her and Alison, and she forces a smile before everyone begins discussing something new. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I really do think that Hanna is brilliant, but it's just so fun writing for a care-free Hanna Marin.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pre-time-jump Emison [5B] ━ Emily visits Alison in jail; before the phone call ━ As requested.

She stands there, behind see-through glass, waiting for the signal to walk inside. Her brown eyes bounce to the guard that stiffly watches her from behind. The tall, big-boned woman is wearing a khaki, “authoritative” outfit, causing her to stick out like a sore thumb ━ or maybe not since, well, it’s a damn jail. Emily hears a loud buzzer come from somewhere in a nearby hallway, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps from two other guards who pass by the room where she’s still waiting ━ after ten, grey-scaled minutes. Truly, she doesn’t even know what she’s going to say to Alison once they’re finally face to face, but her legs brought her here for whatever reason, and now she needs to face those broken, blue eyes belonging to the girl who she practically shoved into one of these cold, dark cells.

When Emily doesn’t move quick enough, the guard’s smoky voice comes from behind her with a harsh “You only have a limited amount of time, Miss, so I’d get in there and spend it wisely if I were you.” 

The brunette, in response, looks back with parted lips and a silent head nod before pushing herself through the metal door, all while the guard rolls her eyes at the other girl’s timid nature. The visiting room isn’t much nicer, Emily thinks once she walks in, because the walls are made of grey, concrete blocks, probably to match the shiny, stained, grey floor. A metal table sits in the dead center of the room, two chairs on one side and one, lone chair on the other. 

She pulls out one of the two chairs on the visitor's side, listening to the loud scraping sound along the floor as her eyes slam shut and a sharp inhale swoops down her throat. Once she’s sitting (albeit extremely uncomfortably), her brown eyes fly to the left side of the room where she sees that same glass window, noting that they’re not alone ━ and, after the trial, maybe they never will be. Tears spring into her eyes before she can stop them, and she uses her sleeve to wipe at her face frantically once two guards open the room’s door, holding onto the girl she’s loved since they were young teenagers. Alison’s expression seems surprised yet nervous, and maybe a little bit frustrated, but she’s brought further into the room so she can sit across from the brunette. 

“You know the drill, DiLaurentis. No funny business,” one guard looks at her before following the other through the same door from which they just came.

Alison purses her lips and looks away from the guard, feeling the lone handcuff scrape against her ankle whenever she tries to shift in the chair that she’s attached to. Emily just stares at her, not blinking, looking like she’s seen a ghost.

“I still hate that you have to come here in order to see me,” Alison mumbles, facing away from Emily.  

Emily plays with her hands in her lap, “That makes two of us.”

“Then why did you?” her voice sounds accusatory, but mostly just…  _ betrayed _ .

“I don’t know, honestly,” Emily shakes her head. “One minute I was home and the next… I was here. I just wanted to see you before everything happens, I guess.”

“My trial, you mean?” Alison raises her eyebrows and scoffs.

The brunette falls silent. 

“You’re not confident that I’ll win, are you?”

“That’s not it,” she shakes her head again, this time slower, “I don’t know what’ll happen. Even after getting out of here…” her voice trails off. 

Alison swallows hard and looks down.

“I meant the things I said the other night, Em,” comes Alison’s admission only seconds later, catching the other girl totally off-guard.

“Ali, don’t. This isn’t the place.”

“Emily, there may not ever be a better place. I need to get this out. I’m practically suffocating every night I don’t,” her eyes are pleading, and Emily has to look away because she just wants to curl up into a ball and cry; after all, this is at least ninety percent her fault after she practically barricaded Alison in her backyard. Sure, she wasn’t alone and Alison didn’t help herself all that much, but she should’ve been there ━ she  _ could  _ have been there if she wasn’t too busy ignoring the blonde’s cries as she set her up for a police capture. 

She waits for Alison to continue while every passing moment sounds completely deafening and she wants to puke because, honestly, they should just be at home right now. They should be together, talking about their feelings in Emily’s bedroom while watching some cliché movie that Alison picked out but, of course, they’re talking over a metal table in a grey room as police officers watch their entire conversation like circling hawks.

“I know that I’m not the most honest person,” Alison slams her eyes shut once she starts to speak again, “and I know that you have every right not to believe me whenever something comes out of my mouth, but you have to understand that it’s all I know, Em. I’m not saying it’s right, and I’m not saying you should accept it, but at least understand it.”

Emily eyes her, swallowing hard because her throat feels like it’s going to disintegrate. 

She continues, “I really did miss you the most, though, and not because you were easily swayed, and not only because I knew you loved me. I missed you because you’re you. My Emily. Not in the possessive way, but… I don’t know. I always miss you. We’ve gotten so off track…” tears flood her eyes and one falls onto the metal table as she hangs her head.

Emily, upon seeing the other girl crying, just wants to reach across the table and hug her, but she can’t ━ not with the guards watching them, especially because of the stern list of rules she had to comprehend before walking in here. So, when she can’t do anything for Alison who sniffles at the other end of the table, her own tears appear, and she wipes them away again.

“What if we can’t ever make it back, Em? God, this is all my fault,” Alison shakes her head. 

“Alison,” she gently scolds with a head shake of her own, “this is  _ not  _ all your fault. We should have never…” Emily takes a deep breath and her eyes slam shut. “I’m  _ so  _ sorry.”

“I didn’t make it easy for you guys to understand.”

“We barely tried, Alison. I’m so sorry.”

“Stop saying that.”

Emily crosses her arms over her stomach and feels like she’s going to be sick. While Alison thinks it’s all her fault, Emily believes the same about herself, and it completely sucks. The blonde is right: what if they can never make it back? What if they can never progress or, well, capitalize on what happened just a bit ago? Will their  _ friendship  _ even last after this?

Before Alison can get another word out, one of the guards comes back into the room with a raspy “Time’s up.” The blonde looks at the ceiling with shimmering eyes and shifts her jaw as Emily pushes backwards so she can get up. Before walking out, she looks at Alison with soft eyes, and the other girl looks back at her with some sort of expression that’s never been seen before. 

“I’ll be back, okay?” Emily whispers, trying to force a smile afterwards. “We can talk more, I promise.” 

Alison nods but looks away.

“Try to get some sleep. You look awful,” the brunette attempts to joke and, surprisingly, it earns a tiny laugh from Alison who remains sitting.

Really, Emily wants to kick herself in the ass for the “joke” because she, herself, has no idea what it’s like to sleep in a jail cell and, honestly, she hopes she never has to find out. Once Alison gets out (which Emily is counting on), the brunette tells herself that she’s going to  _ take care  _ of the other girl instead of badgering her about everything. Alison deserves it, quite frankly.

Finally, she tears herself away from those blue eyes and walks towards the door, only taking one final glance at Alison who offers a sad smile before the brunette disappears behind the thick door with one of the guards. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update: I still have quite a few written, but send me more prompts if you'd like. 
> 
> P.S. The Halloween, pre-disappearance Emison one-shot will be posted around Halloween.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily and Alison watch a movie after their dinner date ━ Possible sequel to the Ch 11 one-shot ━ As requested.

Alison uses the collar of Emily’s leather jacket to pull the girl further against her own body, smiling hard against the brunette’s mouth. She feels her backside rubbing against her house’s front door since, well, she couldn’t help but get a little too handsy once they stepped out of the car ━ and before that, actually. After their light-feeling date (and once Emily accepted the invitation to come over for a movie), she felt her mood spike into something a little less innocent so, naturally, she just  _ had  _ to capitalize on it. Of course, Emily wasn’t all that thrilled when the blonde’s hand landed on her upper thigh while they were driving home but, for both their sakes, Alison just let it linger and nothing more.

So, when they stepped out of the vehicle, Alison quickly made her way up the front steps before waiting for Emily to catch up. Once she did, the blonde stood there, quietly facing the door as the other girl looked at her in confusion.  _ “Did you forget your key?”  _ Emily raised an eyebrow, and that’s when Alison swiftly turned around while pressing her tongue to her inner cheek, followed by an elongated,  _ “No,”  _ matched with a dangerous smirk.

Before Emily could react, their lips were pressed against one another with a level of heat that she hadn’t felt in so long ━ and, actually, it took her an entire five seconds to even react.

The blonde’s hand slides partially underneath Emily’s shirt, reveling in the feeling of the girl’s soft skin underneath her fingertips. Meanwhile, as Alison’s hand travels higher, the brunette tries to separate them as much as possible, finally remembering that they’re standing on Alison’s front porch ━ practically putting on a show for any night-dwellers. When Alison looks at her with narrowed eyes, Emily bounces her focus around the porch, and that’s when the blonde nods in understanding before unlocking the door with a simple click.

She pushes the door open a split second later, followed by the space immediately illuminating with a soft light. Her bag is thrown onto a nearby table, and she huffs as she walks into the kitchen with Emily in tow.

“Hey, are you doing anything tomorrow?” the blonde turns around to face the other girl. 

“Mm,” she thinks with squinted eyes, “I don’t think so. Why?”

Alison looks around shyly, smiling gently, “Would you like to stay over? I don’t really feel like being alone tonight.”

Although Emily feels extremely nervous because, well, it’s not like they’ve been able to keep to themselves tonight, she nods with a genuine smile, and Alison breathes out with a smile of her own. To the brunette, it’s pretty obvious that she’s not the only nervous one, so she tries to put on a brave face as she mutters, “I’m going to grab some pajamas,” to Alison who smirks at the thought of Emily having her own clothing drawer. 

For a moment, the blonde debates on following the other girl upstairs to change into her own pajamas but, for the sake of keeping a safe distance between them, she thanks herself for storing an outfit or two in the downstairs bathroom. So, without hesitation, she runs into the bathroom and changes into a patterned, short-sleeve, button-up pajama top, and a matching pair of shorts. Before leaving the room, she plays around with her hair and fixes it up (well,  _ messes  _ it up) a bit, hoping that it looks less… formal. 

Once satisfied, she takes a deep breath and exits to find Emily already sitting on the living room couch. The brunette is dressed in a white t-shirt and shorts of her own, allowing her smooth, tanned skin to show ━ and, honestly, Alison wonders if it was intentional. When Emily doesn’t look up from her phone, Alison clears her throat from the kitchen.

“Do you want anything?” comes the simple question, a soft grin painted across Alison’s face when the other girl finally looks up.

“No thanks, I’m good,” she returns the smile. 

“What do you want to watch?” Alison eventually moves into the living room after turning off the lights and locking the door.

“Um, you pick,” the other girl smirks because she knows how much Alison hates picking out movies.

In response, the blonde narrows her eyes with a glare, but she rummages through her house’s DVD collection ━ courtesy of Jason who left everything when he moved out. She hums while scanning the movies, earning a soft smile from Emily who listens to the other girl debate on what to watch. 

“How about Disturbia?” she throws over her shoulder while looking at the back of the case.

“Anything you’d like,” Emily responds absentmindedly, and Alison raises an eyebrow at the statement since she takes it in a totally different way. 

“Disturbia it is.”

She opens the case and inserts the disk into their DVD player, eventually tapping a few buttons so the movie actually plays. Once everything is all set, she walks backwards and sits on the couch, just inches away from the brunette who types away on her phone. To occupy herself, she reaches for a nearby blanket (formerly draped over the back of the couch), and spreads it across their almost-bare legs. Two minutes into the movie and Emily remains typing on her phone. Alison doesn’t exactly want to be nosey, but she can’t help but ask who the girl is talking to so, soon enough, she does.

“Who’s that?” it doesn’t come out harsh (thankfully, she thinks), and Emily places her phone onto the coffee table in front of them.

“Just Hanna.”

“What’d she want?”

“Nothing. I just told her that I’m staying here for the night,” Emily looks at the television, attempting to pay attention to the movie as much as possible, though it gets much more difficult when Alison slides closer.

The brunette hesitates when the other girl approaches again, not sure if she should make any sudden moves even though, really, they were practically groping one another on the girl’s front porch just a few minutes ago. Emily rolls her eyes at her own nervousness but, in the end, she knows that she’ll always be timid when it comes to Alison since she’s loved her for years on end. So, when she decides to suck it up and take a chance, her arm moves to the back of the couch as she pulls the blonde closer. Alison, in response, shifts against the other girl and tries to get as comfortable as possible, partially sitting in front of Emily as they face the television. When she can’t get fully situated, she untucks her left arm from between their bodies and lets it linger on Emily’s thigh, earning an inaudible, sharp inhale from the other girl who tries to focus.

Emily shifts in her seat, relaxing her body as much as possible even though it’s become especially difficult when the girl next to her keeps sliding closer with every passing second. Eventually, around fifteen minutes into the movie, Alison turns her body so she’s facing the other girl, and Emily barely breathes as those infamous blue eyes scan her face for some unknown reason. The brunette’s eyes narrow slightly, but her unasked questions are answered when Alison leans forward and connects their lips ━ much softer than when they were outside. Really, the kiss feels like their first kiss since seeing one another after years apart, and it’s barely noticeable since their lips only briefly touch. When the blonde pulls away, she’s wearing a shy smile and Emily swears she can see a tiny shade of blush covering the girl’s cheeks, but, much to her own surprise, she finds herself leaning forward and connecting their lips again. Once Emily cups the girl’s jaw, something inside of Alison wants more, so she presses forward as she almost ends up in the brunette’s lap.

“We’re going to miss the movie again,” Emily smirks when she tilts her head away for a split second. 

Alison tries to match the smirk, but fails as her eyes drift back down to the other girl’s lips.

“I don’t really care,” comes the whisper before Emily feels herself being pushed back against the cushions.

Once Emily seems comfortable enough, Alison straddles one of her thighs and lies down only partially on the other girl, making sure to remain towards the crease of the couch at least a bit ━ for now, she notes. Alison smiles once more before reconnecting their lips yet again, and Emily shifts in order to re-situate herself, but, instead, she ends up moving her leg sharply which elicits a very tempting noise from the girl on top of her. When Alison realizes what happened, she pulls away with a grin, and Emily is wearing a super shy, slightly apologetic expression as she tucks her bottom lip between her teeth.

“I really didn’t mean to,” she chuckles, and Alison raises an eyebrow.

“Mhm,” the girl only slightly believes it, and she leans back down to kiss Emily.

As the atmosphere thickens, Alison’s tongue slides past Emily’s lips and the brunette lets out a breathy moan ━ though it’s not like she doesn’t  _ attempt  _ to stop it. Once the sound is heard by Alison, the blonde girl partially grinds down against Emily’s leg, and she matches the sound before realizing that it was totally on instinct. Although the brunette wants to smile at the reaction, she carries on with kissing the girl on top of her, allowing her hands to travel underneath Alison’s shirt occasionally. Alison, upon feeling the other girl’s shaking fingertips, backs up and smiles softly as she nods her head a fraction, and that’s when Emily goes to undo some of the top’s buttons.

She’s stopped in her tracks, however, when her phone rings on the nearby table. Her head tilts back with a groan, and Alison snorts at the reaction but backs up as much as she can so Emily can sit up and take the call. The brunette pushes herself forward so she’s sitting upright, and Alison leans her left elbow on the back of the couch as she plays with the neckline of Emily’s shirt once the girl hits the green phone to answer the call.

“Hello?”

_ “Hey, Em,”  _ Hanna’s voice comes through the speaker, and Emily wants to groan because she literally  _ just  _ told the girl that she was spending the night at Alison’s.

“Did you want something?” she asks, and Alison smirks at the question as she leans closer, soon pressing her lips against Emily’s neck.

In response, the brunette tilts her head as an automatic reaction, though she purses her lips immediately afterwards because it was a stupid idea ━ especially when Alison’s mouth begins trailing down her neck and shoulder with more force. 

_ “Um…”  _ Hanna seems to forget, and Emily wants to hang up solely because the other girl should know what her reason for calling is. 

As the blonde on the other line seemingly talks to herself, Alison continues to toy with the girl who is struggling to keep her breathing steady and eyes open. At the same time, her hand lands on Emily’s thigh underneath the bunched-up blanket, and the brunette nearly chokes at the contact, causing Alison to breathe out a small laugh against her neck. 

_ “There really was something important, I swear,”  _ Hanna chuckles to herself and, once again, Emily wants to hang up more than ever.

“Well, can you think a bit harder? Alison and I are trying to watch a movie,” the blonde backs up at her name being mentioned, a severe, sinister smirk crossing her features as her nails partially dig into the girl’s inner thigh.

Emily nearly drops the phone when she feels nails being scraped along her exposed skin at a tantalizingly slow rate. She swallows hard and clears her throat, taking a deep breath afterwards as Alison watches her like a hawk. When the brunette seems to have recovered, Alison allows her hand to travel further upwards, and that’s when she sees Emily bite her lower lip as she waits for Hanna to speak again. Right at the most opportune moment, Hanna’s voice floats through the speaker, and Alison regains her devilish expression.

_ “Oh yeah!” _ she squeaks out.  _ “I’m going out with Caleb tomorrow afternoon, and I just wanted to let you know because I’m not sure if you took your key or not. Otherwise, you can just stay at Alison’s. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind,”  _ the girl’s tone is smug and, at the same time, Alison leans in to kiss Emily’s neck again, nipping at the skin almost right away.

“Mhm,” is all Emily can get out initially, taking a shaky breath once the blonde backs up, “yeah, I’m sure I can figure something out.”

_ “Alright,” _ Hanna says, but she remains on the line,  _ “how was your date?” _

Right when Emily goes to choke out a quick “Good,” Alison’s hand dares to travel even higher as it slides just underneath the raised hem of the brunette's shorts, and the word comes out very breathy, which Hanna doesn’t miss.

_ “Are you okay?” _

“Mhm.”

Emily hears a soft, elongated  _ “Oh” _ come from the other line, and then Hanna speaks up again.

_ “Mhm…”  _ she slightly hums in a knowing tone,  _ “have fun, then…” _

“Thanks,” the brunette manages to say as her right hand grabs onto Alison’s wrist, stilling her movements as her eyes widen when she feels the girl’s nails dig into her skin again. 

Finally, the line is cut, and her phone slides out of her hand before it bounces onto the floor. She faces Alison immediately, eyes narrowed as she looks at the girl who is wearing a fake-innocent expression. When the brunette’s gaze doesn’t waver, Alison licks her lips and leans forward with a barely audible “What?” and Emily sucks in another sharp breath.

She never gets a solid answer from Emily. Instead, Alison decides to resume their position from before, and she pushes the brunette back down onto the couch cushions so she can straddle the girl’s thigh.

“Hanna’s right,” comes Alison’s next statement. “I wouldn’t mind.”

Emily rolls her eyes slightly, but, before she can say anything, her lips meet Alison’s, and she sighs into the kiss ━ one of many over the course of their night together. 


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison has a little boy who looks just like Emily ━ As requested.

Hanna and Emily stand in one of the hospital’s many hallways, peering through a thin panel of glass as they watch Alison’s newborn baby boy sleep soundly in one of the see-through bassinets. The brunette smiles softly, though her nerves are still at an all-time high for a variety of reasons. Really, as soon as the child was born, she could actually feel herself gain an even stronger desire to protect and, right now, she doesn’t want to let this kid out of her sight. Hanna, on the other hand, smiles big as she looks throughout the nursery, watching a worker pace up and down the aisles to make sure no one is fussing.

“God,” Hanna breathes out, “he looks  _ just  _ like you, Em.” 

Emily blushes but covers it up with a quiet laugh, “You can barely see him from here, Hanna.”

“Maybe, but it’s pretty unmistakable. Did Alison notice?” 

The brunette snorts and the other girl narrows her eyes in confusion.

Her mind begins to flash back to the actual event, and all she remembers is how Alison seemed so hellbent on breaking her hand. It makes her laugh, actually, because, when the blonde first went into labor, she tried to play it off as no big deal while Emily panicked and attempted to get the other girl’s ass into the car. Eventually, they made it to the hospital and became situated. From there, the process was “an absolute nightmare” (as per Alison’s grunt at one point during the night). Emily stayed by her side for ninety-nine percent of the hospital trip, with the exception of leaving for the bathroom. Sometime during the early morning hours, the other girls showed up (much to Emily’s surprise because, really, it was roughly seven o’clock on a Tuesday), and Spencer brought Emily some food to hold her over. 

Sometime an hour later, Emily’s mom stopped by (one of Alison’s many requests), and she had a small heart-to-heart with the nervous blonde girl. Overall, she gave Alison advice, told her what’s going to happen, and comforted her as much as possible. Emily, watching on, noticed how Alison seemed to have relaxed after that, and she smiled because, days ago, the blonde had timidly asked,  _ “Do you think your mom could stop by before…” _ she looked away,  _ “I know you’re going to be there, but I think I may need some motherly support.” _ Emily smiled and nodded with a soft  _ “I’m sure she’d be happy to stop by, Ali,” _ earning a deep sigh of relief from the other girl. Once Mrs. Fields left the two with a sweet  _ “Good luck,”  _ they sat there exchanging quick conversation. 

Of course, Alison grew extremely irritated as the minutes rolled on and, when it came time to actually give birth, she almost flat-out refused.

_ “There’s no way I’m going to be able to do this,” she grits her teeth and tries to cross her arms. _

_ “Ali, you can’t really refuse,” Emily chuckles, and the blonde shoots her a look of disbelief at the joke because, honestly, it’s just not the time.  _

_ “I’ll be here the entire time, Alison. You know that.” _

_ “It’s going to be disgusting,” she makes a face. _

_ “Then I’ll focus on you.” _

_ “That’s even worse.” _

In the end, it went by smoothly (depending on your definition of “smooth”), and the baby is perfectly healthy ━ considering how he came to exist in the first place. Alison cried before Emily, surprisingly (or maybe not, depending on  _ why  _ she was crying), but, of course, the brunette eventually shed some tears, as well as the other girls who waited in a nearby room in the maternity unit. After first contact, the little boy was taken into a nursery close by so Alison could rest as much as possible, and Emily kissed her on the head after saying that she was taking a short walk with Hanna.

Emily smiles softly, and Hanna continues to eye her. 

“She was too busy making sure I was in as much pain as she was,” she moves around her wrists and Hanna smirks. “After that, I don’t know if she did.”

“I’m glad they let you in there with her,” the blonde smiles. “You deserved to be there.”

“I didn’t think they’d let me, honestly. I mean… I know times have changed, because Mom told me that it used to be strictly family members, but I still had my doubts. I’m happy I was there, though.”

“You two are practically married, Em.”

“‘Practically’ doesn’t mean much,” she shakes her head with raised eyebrows.

“Did you ever think about that?” Hanna treads carefully with a tiny smile.

“Think about what?  _ Marriage _ ?” her eyes bug.

The blonde waits expectantly, and Emily’s mouth opens and closes a few times before she shrugs.

“Obviously I thought about it a lot when I was younger. I mean… that’s what you’re supposed to do, right? Think of little fairy tales?”

“Yeah… but your fairy tale could actually come true,” Hanna challenges with a soft tone.

“I don’t know, Hanna. I haven’t thought about it lately. I’m not going to push the idea. We got together less than a year ago and━”

“But you’ve  _ loved  _ each other for longer than that.”

“It was one-sided.”

“I’m not so sure.”

Emily sighs.

“Look, Emily. I’m just saying,” she holds her hands up in defense. “What’s the point of being in a relationship with the girl you’ve been in love with since forever-ago if you’re not trying to plan a future together?”

Emily bites her inner cheek, mostly because she wasn’t prepared for this kind of heart-to-heart while staring at a room full of babies ━ including Alison’s.

“That child in there is half you, Em,” Hanna points at the glass, and Emily narrows her eyes because, well, can the blonde read minds now? “It’s actually more you than it is her,” she talks more so to herself.

Hanna continues again, “Even if you think your relationship with Alison won’t last, she’s always going to have something that’s a part of you, so you might as well try and make things work.”

“Because  _ that  _ makes it sound like love,” the brunette raises an eyebrow.

“You know what I mean.”

“Why are you so…” Emily makes a face when she can’t think of the word, moving around her hands, “…about Alison and I getting married? Before, you seemed so indifferent towards the idea and now you’re practically forcing us into a damn chapel.” 

“Because,” she starts with a solid head nod, pursing her lips, “I don’t know. I like you two together. At first, I was like…  _ okay _ , but I’ve seen you two together as of late and, well, I ship you guys.”

“Don’t start,” Emily shakes her head whilst breathing out a laugh. 

Hanna focuses her gaze on the small child again, tilting her head as she peeks through the glass. Emily follows suit, smiling at the little boy, and the blonde chuckles.

“What now?” Emily raises an eyebrow. 

“He just looks so much like you,” she continues to laugh.

“You already said that.”

“I know! I can’t get over it! How can you not see it?”

“I didn’t say that,” Emily blushes with a smile.

“Ah, so you do see it,” Hanna catches on. “I think it’s his eyes.”

“Okay, now you’re just lying. His eyes are shut, Hanna.”

“Then maybe it’s his entire face,” she shrugs. “It just… he’s a little Fields.”

“DiLaurentis,” Emily corrects.

“DiLaurentis-Fields,” Hanna capitalizes, and that’s when the brunette walks away from the glass with a playful eye-roll. 

“Come on,” she huffs, “I’m tired and I want to see how Alison is doing.”

“Aw, how sweet,” Hanna gushes, flashing Emily a huge, cheesy smile. 

“Shut up.”

So, as they make their way back to Alison’s fresh hospital room, Hanna’s words float around in Emily’s mind ━ and, honestly, she curses at the blonde because, from now on, it’s all she’s going to be thinking about.  _ “Maybe…” _ she wonders,  _ “maybe Hanna really is right.”  _ And, with that, the brunette knows that she has a few decisions to make. One thing’s for certain: she loves Alison  _ and  _ their little boy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up: If you're getting antsy waiting for me to do your prompt, just sit tight. I've gotten a boatload of requests and I've been working on them endlessly, but I'll get them to you. I think you'll like what I have in store.
> 
> Spoiler alert: There will be a pre-disappearance Halloween one-shot, and a post-7x10 Halloween one-shot.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pre-time-jump (and pre-5x05) Emison ━ Emily tells Alison about Maya ━ As requested.

It’s awkward nowadays; just the two of them, sitting in silence with the faint ticking of a nearby clock being the only thing to break the ever-growing, thick, menacing tension. Really, either girl could just… get up and walk away, but it’s not that easy. It never is.

So, here they are, sitting in the dark confines of the DiLaurentis’ living room at nearly 2:30 A.M. They’ve been this way since at least 9 P.M., with little-to-no snacking and/or leaving the room for whatever reason, and the TV was shut off around midnight as neither girl could even pay attention to what’s currently airing.

At first, there was barely any rigid feeling in the air and, at first, the two shared smiles and laughs as if Alison had never run away ━ as if she had never just…  _ left _ . Gradually, however, something in Emily’s stomach began to eat away at her, and Alison could tell as she glanced over and saw a pair of shimmering eyes so prominently glowing in the light of the television. She didn’t say anything about it (thankfully, the brunette thought at the time), and her blue eyes went back to watching some TV show that she had missed sometime during the past year. 

It took about thirty more minutes for the blonde to actually speak up, and it was only after she had randomly shut the TV off before spinning around to face the girl who was situated in the other corner of the couch.

_ “What’s wrong, Em?”  _ she spoke cautiously with extreme, quiet concern, and Emily shook her head with watery eyes as she looked away. 

When the brunette never responded, Alison just mimicked the girl’s position and faced her as they sat on the couch. Hours passed with minimal conversation and, really, neither girl ever grew tired enough to curl up and sleep because, well, it’s been a long time since the two of them have really been able to have some kind of matured heart-to-heart ━ or have they ever had one at all? The issue, unfortunately, is that neither wants to actually  _ initiate  _ the conversation, which means many thoughts and words continue to go unspoken as their eyes occasionally lock.

Alison opens her mouth to speak, but nothing comes out, and her expression, once again, falls flat as she looks away from the girl who stares at her with disappointed eyes. When the blonde looks back at Emily, she notes the girl’s guarded body language, and that’s when she tries to learn more about what she had missed.

“How’d your mom take it?” her voice is quiet and Emily nearly misses the question.

The girl’s eyebrows furrow in confusion with a soft “What?” 

“You… coming out.”

“I didn’t really come out,” her brown eyes widen as she looks at the lone cushion between them.

She sighs before explaining, “Mona, well…  _ A  _ sort of… shoved me out.”

Alison hastily nods and evades the other girl’s gaze.

“How?” the blonde gets out.

Her mouth opens and closes, nervous to discuss her first, official girlfriend with the girl she’s loved since, well, she’s been  _ questioning  _ herself to begin with.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’m sorry,” Alison tries to cover up the question, hoping that she hadn’t just shoved Emily far into a hole.

“No, it’s not that,” Emily recovers, “it’s just…”

Alison waits with expectant eyes. When Emily doesn’t even  _ try  _ to continue, the blonde realizes why and she swallows hard when she feels her throat begin to grow sore. 

“Maya,” Alison fills in the blank, and the brunette’s forehead creases in confusion.

When she sees Emily’s curious expression, she explains, “I heard her name a time or two when I visited. I was curious,” she shrugs.

“Oh,” is all the other girl can say.

“Tell me about her,” Alison responds but, really, a weird feeling begins to burn a hole in both her chest and stomach, and it takes every ounce of willpower to keep herself from changing her mind.

“Are you sure?”

She nods.

Emily breathes out, “Okay,” and bites at her inner cheek before even formulating a timeline in her head because, in recent weeks, she hasn’t been able to think about anything other than the blonde sitting in front of her.

“She was different,” the brunette begins. “After we met… like _ right after  _ we met, she was really flirty and it was so  _ new  _ to me. I felt… wanted, I guess, but at the same time, I didn’t want to feel wanted by her. I couldn’t afford that.”

As Alison listens to the story, her insides twist, but it isn’t out of pure jealousy. If she’s being honest, she wishes that she had never left because, only a short time before she had to leave Rosewood, her feelings were beginning to catch up to her and she knows that if she had stayed, maybe they would have had a chance.

“She never took ‘no’ for an answer, and not in the pushy kind of way. She knew that I liked her just as much, and she understood that I was scared and it helped me,” Emily shifts her jaw and looks down. “We kissed in a photo booth, and that’s when my mom saw the pictures. She wasn’t happy and, honestly, I don’t think she ever liked Maya. So, when she found some not-so-innocent things in Maya’s bag, that’s when shit really just… went downhill.”

“What happened?”

“Maya got sent away, and I was just so fed up with Mom. I felt like it was all her fault that someone who actually loved me had to go away with little-to-no contact…” she clears her throat. “She didn’t even seem to care, even though that’s specifically what she said she was doing.  _ Caring _ ,” Emily shakes her head.

She continues, “Maya came back eventually, but like… it wasn’t  _ Maya _ . She wasn’t who she was beforehand, and I don’t know. It didn’t work out. I don’t even know what happened, or how she really died. I don’t know if I  _ want  _ to know.”

“Did you and your mom ever talk things through?” Alison asks when she feels a tinge of guilt hit her in the chest, meanwhile wishing that she had the chance to discuss things with her own mother.

“Eventually, yeah. I mean… it didn’t take that long, because you know how we are,” Emily laughs softly, and Alison smiles, “but yeah. I feel like she grew a lot after she admitted to herself that I’m gay, and we both grew after  _ I  _ admitted it.”

The brunette smiles slightly, and Alison matches it because she can see the relief painted across the other girl’s face.

“I’m proud of you, Em.”

Emily’s smile falters a little, and the blonde notes the change in demeanor, so she grabs for the other girl’s hand and rubs her thumb along her palm. Under the right circumstances, Alison would make a few of her own confessions, and tell a couple of her stories that could possibly alter their course (or relationship), but it isn’t the right time and, maybe, it never will be. So, as they make occasional, blushing eye contact while Alison plays with the girl’s fingers, she quietly confesses, “I wish I could have been there,” instead of saying what she’s actually thinking:  _ “I wish I could have been your first.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one seems shorter. I haven't had time to revise any others, but I'll be doing that within the next few days while simultaneously working on the new multi-chapter story.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ch 9 continuation; (Pre-disappearance Emison ━ Canon personalities, but roles are reversed; Alison pines over Emily whereas Emily is too timid to capitalize on their impending relationship) ━ As requested.

She’s been crying herself to sleep for the past two days. After Emily so easily walked out of the locker room that day, the blonde felt as though she lost herself. At first, she was angry, and ignored Emily for the entire ride back home but, once she flopped backwards onto her bed, she felt herself just… break. Her throat began to tighten as tears sprung into her eyes and her hands balled into fists as she gritted her teeth together. The ceiling started to spin at one point in time and, after that, her eyes slammed shut before a deep sleep took over ━ and it wasn’t even five o’clock, at the time.

Of course, when Alison woke up later that day, she glanced at her phone to see that the time was 10:03 P.M. which meant that 1) she wouldn’t be able to sleep again since she was passed out for so long, and 2) it was likely that the three other girls were already getting ready for bed ━ purposely excluding the last member of their group. So, when she went on social media as she sat up in bed, her eyes narrowed when Ben’s name popped up. Her blue eyes forced her to scroll further down but, once she did, her heart dropped even further into her chest when his status actually said  _ “In a relationship with Emily Fields.”  _ Well, to sum up the rest of her night, her knees were tucked into her chest for most of it while her eyes leaked tears for hours. She never ate, she never drank, and she never spoke to her brother who  _ actually _ tried to check on her.

The following day was hell. Although it was Friday, the day was nothing exciting and, much to Alison’s distaste, went by slower than usual. She stared at the back of Emily’s head but, unlike her normal, heart-eyeing gaze, her blue eyes narrowed as she tapped her pen on her leg. The kid next to Alison side-eyed her repeatedly, being scared because, well, she’s  _ Alison DiLaurentis _ but, also, she looked as if she’s going to kill someone. For the majority of the day, Alison avoided all forms of contact with Emily who, at one point, actually attempted so say  _ “Hi,” _ but the blonde quickly walked the other way with her schoolbooks close to her chest. Hanna, Spencer, and Aria stood next to Emily, all lips parted as they faced the guilty brunette. Alison didn’t hear what they said, but she didn’t exactly care at the time; she just wanted to get home, and relax ━ not to mention  _ hopefully  _ get over this silly, little crush.

Once again, it was a pool day for gym class, taking up the last time-slot of their schedules. Alison, however, flat-out refused to swim, and the teacher made her leave the class. Emily avoided the other girl’s fierce, blue eyes as she floated in the corner of the pool, feeling extremely guilty because she knew (well,  _ assumed _ ) why the other girl was acting so upset ━ and, really, she wished she could go back in time. As Alison walked into the principal’s office that day, she threw herself into one of the chairs and massaged her temples, hoping that the headache would soon evaporate. Obviously, however, it didn’t, more so because her mother showed up just a few minutes later with an angry demeanor. They went home (with most of the ride consumed by silence), and Alison ran into her room, followed by the loud slamming of her bedroom door. 

After changing her clothes, she sat cross-legged on her bed and wrote in her journal:

_ “Well today sucked. Yesterday sucked. Tomorrow will probably suck just as much. The only upside is that it’s finally the weekend, which means I don’t need to see Emily’s face for the next two days. Usually, I’d try to and I really still want to but━ No, no I don’t. I get being scared. Fuck, I’m scared, and look how easily I usually deal with things. She’s literally ERASING everything that happened between us. With BEN!!  _

_ There’s a party at Noel’s tomorrow night and I don’t know if I should go. Mom probably won’t even let me because of my little “stunt” in school today, but when have I ever cared whether or not I’m “allowed” to go? Whatever. The issue is that Emily is going to be there ━ with HIM. I don’t even know if the other girls are going, so why should I go? Just to see Emily? With Ben? No. No, no no no no no━ I hate this. I should have never even tried. I should have never let myself feel, or anything. This is what I get for trying new things. And it’s not like I initiated this entire thing. I don’t care what Emily says, but I saw the way she looked at me. And she STILL looks at me like that━ Before the other day.  _

_ I know she feels things too. I just know it.” _

She threw her pen against the wall within the next minute, feeling her hand cramp up severely at the non-stop writing. Next, Alison flopped onto her back with a groan as she rubbed at her face. Within seconds, her cell phone chirped with a text message and she rolled her eyes because, possibly, Emily’s name would pop up and her stomach would inevitably drop ━ and she was correct:

_ “Hey, Ali. Are you feeling okay…?” _

At the time, Alison wanted to throw her phone just like she threw the pen but, instead, she ignored the message altogether. _ “Since when do you care?”  _ her thoughts shouted at the brunette. When her phone chimed again, her blue eyes rolled harder and she vowed that, if it was Emily, she’d give the girl absolute hell for the past few days. Instead, when she looked at her screen, a text from Noel popped up, and she sighed:

_ “Looking forward to seeing you at the party tomorrow night. Do you want me to buy anything specific or just your usual?” _

If Alison could roll her eyes harder than she had been, she would’ve.  _ “Usual?” _ she thought,  _ “What’s my usual?”  _ Technically, at the last few parties Noel had, she’s consumed nothing but an assortment of beers ━ which grosses her out, in the first place. Otherwise, her hands just grab for any harder liquor depending on her mood so, in the end, she X’d the idea of messaging Noel back because, really, what the fuck?

For the rest of the night, she lounged and ignored every incoming text while simultaneously eating some takeout that her parents had ordered for her and Jason. She forced herself into bed hours later, and that’s when Alison’s thoughts began to consume her once again. Her chest contracted and her fists balled against the comforter and, soon enough, tears were flowing onto her pillow as she sobbed hard. It must have lulled her to sleep eventually because, the next thing she knew, her eyes were opening to the harsh light of a new day’s sun.

Currently, the blonde blinks hard as she stands in the first-floor bathroom of Noel’s house. She paces back and forth as her blurry eyes focus as much as they can. Truly, she hasn’t had  _ that  _ much to drink, but a few shots slid down her throat and, admittedly, it only happened because the brunette’s gaze was boring into her temple during both rounds. Alison washes her hands quickly, wiping at her nose with the back of her wrist afterwards. Honestly, if you asked her, she just wants to go home ━ and,  _ God _ , she wants to take Emily with her.

The brunette showed up a few hours prior, arm linked with Ben’s as she wears some short shorts and a colored blouse that  _ really  _ shows off just the right amount of skin. Alison shakes her head at the thought. So, Emily attempted to approach the other girl within the first hour and, in response, Alison raised her cup up to her mouth and took a long sip without breaking eye contact. When Emily tried to apologize for what happened in the locker room, Alison responded,  _ “Why? What happened in the locker room?” _ and the brunette looked down at the floor. She knew it was harsh, but she didn’t exactly care because, well, if Emily can pretend that there’s nothing between them, then so can Alison. After all, playing games is what she does best. 

Her hand lands on the doorknob and she twists her wrist to open the barrier, eventually stepping into the hallway that leads to a multitude of bedrooms. She hears slight grunting nearby, and her eyes roll with a deep breath before she hears a few, soft  _ stop it _ ’s and _ seriously _ ’s. Her blue, makeup-adorned eyes narrow at the voice, and her legs take her in the direction of the sound masked with scuffling. Finally, she reaches her destination and leans her ear against the door, listening to Emily bicker with Ben (Alison assumes). Next, she hears the sound of sloppy kisses and feels her stomach churning but, when a few footsteps walk closer to the door with Emily saying, “I’m going home,” Alison backs up frantically as she pretends that she’s minding her own business.

The door swings open to reveal a tear-stained brunette with Ben lingering close behind, a glare cascaded in Alison’s direction as the blonde tilts her head and overpowers it. Emily looks at Alison and her lips part but, in no time, she’s walking away as the other girl continues to stand there, arms folded as Ben shifts his jaw.

“Are  _ you _ going to tell me what happened, or should I ask her?” she starts with a dangerous step in his direction. “Because if you hurt her in any way, shape, or form━”

“What? What are you going to do, Alison? Everyone knows you’re all talk,” he taunts with a slur or two, and Alison’s smile turns sinister.

He tries to match the smile but, before he can, her fist slams into his nose, and she hears a giant crack as a drip of blood falls from his face. Alison shakes her hand a bit, but her expression doesn’t reveal any pain.

“Try me,” the girl grits her teeth before turning around and walking away. 

Her legs take her down the hallway at a quick pace, and she nervously looks for Emily who is nowhere to be found. Soon, the blonde nearly collides with Noel, and he smiles at her while handing her a red cup.

“Looking for this?” his smile shows off his teeth.

“No,” she places it down on the table next to her, “have you seen Emily?”

“Uh,” his eyes scan the room, “I think I might have seen her in the front yard, but━”

Alison takes off before he can explain any further. She runs down the steps, pushes through the hormonal teenagers making out in the middle of the damn pathway, and looks down the street in the direction of Emily’s house. Her eyes can make out a distant figure moving along the sidewalk almost a block down, and she grunts as she pulls off her uncomfortable shoes.

She doesn’t  _ run _ , no, but the girl is definitely speed-walking in order to keep up with the shadow that moves further and further by the second. Technically, she’s not even positive that it’s Emily, but she’s at least ninety percent sure, and that’s enough to make her attempt to catch up. After a few more minutes, Alison can tell that it’s  _ definitely  _ Emily, especially because she hears sniffling coming from the brunette, and she offers a sad smile to no one in particular.

“Emily,” she calls out once she’s only a house away from the other girl, but the brunette continues to walk ━ albeit a bit slower. 

“Em, please. Let me walk with you.” 

Finally, a deep sigh can be heard, and then Emily stands still. Alison nods (more so to herself), and catches up, only to round the other girl and stand in front of her with sympathetic eyes.

“Tell me what happened,” her voice is quiet, and the girl’s brown eyes won’t even make contact with hers.

Emily shakes her head, and Alison looks away.

“Let’s get you somewhere comfortable. Come on,” Alison walks next to Emily, occasionally side-eyeing her. 

As they move along the sidewalk, the blonde nearly places her hand on the other girl’s back in some form of comfort but, before she does, she hesitates and decides against it ━ just in case. Emily sniffles hard every now and then, but Alison doesn’t ask again because, well, if she wants to talk, then she will. 

It doesn’t take long before they’re standing in front of Alison’s house, and the blonde timidly looks around as Emily waits next to her. 

“You can stay here tonight, if you’d like. I don’t think anyone else is home though,” she explains as she wrings her hands, grimacing when she hits a fresh cut on her knuckle. 

The other girl nods and, if Alison wasn’t looking directly at her, she would have missed the response. The blonde girl mirrors the nod before gesturing towards the front door so they can enter. She pulls out her decorative, spare key and plunges it into the doorknob, eventually pushing the barrier open so Emily can enter in front of her.

“Do you want to lie down?” she asks when the other girl comes to a standstill in the middle of her living room.

Again, Emily nods, and Alison whispers a small “Okay.” 

“Go get comfortable. I’ll get us some water.” 

With that, the brunette disappears. Meanwhile, Alison moves over to the fridge, and her eyes widen as she wonders if she had locked away her journal but, thankfully, she remembers that the small book is back in its former, secret spot. She rolls her eyes at what she had written the previous day, but shakes her head because that’s the only way she’s able to vent nowadays. So, quickly, she fills up two glasses of water and makes her way upstairs. 

When she turns into her bedroom, she sees the brunette sitting on her bedspread with her head in her hand. Alison frowns but offers her a glass of water which she graciously takes with an inaudible “Thank you.” She puts the other glass down on her bedside table, followed by Emily’s which is handed back to her a moment later. Eventually, after careful (and nervous) deliberation, the blonde sits down partially behind the other girl who sits in the middle of the bed, and she plays with the back of her hand. Emily glances back with parted lips, and her gaze floats down to Alison’s knuckles. When her brown eyes lock with Alison’s blue ones, she sighs heavily and looks away.

“I’m sorry,” Alison confesses out of nowhere.

“Was it Ben?” her voice cracks.

The blonde nods and purses her lips. 

Emily shakes her head and rubs at her own arms, hugging her body tightly. Alison feels a sharp wave of guilt hit her and, when it does, she bites her inner cheek and looks away.

“I’m sorry, Ali,” the blonde turns just in time to see a tear fall off of the other girl’s nose. 

“Em, what’s going on? I don’t need an apology, but…” her voice trails off.

“My head hurts so bad,” Emily rubs at her eyes. 

“Lie down, please.”

The girl’s body rests against the mattress soon after Alison’s plea falls from her lips, and the blonde twists the switch on her bedside lamp in order to darken the room. After a few seconds of silent debating, Alison situates herself as close to the edge of the mattress as she can, but she turns to face Emily who continues to cry. Without hesitation, Alison reaches out and wipes at the other girl’s tears with a quiet “Don’t cry.” Obviously, it doesn’t help all that much and Alison mentally scolds herself for the comment, so she shimmies closer and turns her body. Though her heart practically hammers through her chest, she raises her arm and curls it around Emily’s back, carefully pulling the other girl closer so she can provide some sort of physical comfort. 

The brunette lets herself cuddle up to the other girl as much as possible, and her entire body relaxes after being in the embrace for longer than five minutes. Meanwhile, Alison rubs circles along Emily’s arm, and she presses a gentle kiss to the other girl’s forehead once she’s feeling daring.

“I really am sorry, Ali.”

“For what?”

“Ignoring you. Ignoring…” she trails off, but Alison  _ really  _ wants to know what she was going to say, “I’m just sorry. I know you’re probably mad, but━”

“I’m not mad.”

“You’re not?”

“I  _ was _ ,” the blonde confesses, “but I can’t exactly blame you for anything…”

“I don't know what's going on in my head,” her voice breaks heavily, and tears spring into Alison’s eyes because, well, that’s an understatement for both of them.

“You don’t have to figure everything out right now, Em. I haven’t.”

“You haven’t?” 

Alison breathes out a sad laugh, “No way. Not even close. I just know that I…” she trails off. 

Emily lifts her head, waiting, and the blonde looks away while shifting her jaw. The brunette continues to stare at her, wondering what it was that she almost said, and Alison swallows hard.

“Em, I don’t want you to shove your emotions and questions into a box. It’s not healthy, and, trust me, I’ve tried…” she pauses, “I know it’s scary.  _ Terrifying _ , even, but…” 

Both girls take a few deep breaths, and Alison doesn’t even know how to continue that sentence. Emily looks as though she’s thinking hard, and she purses her lips while Alison stares at her. 

“Why’d you kiss me in the library?” Alison suddenly asks, and Emily’s eyes widen when she's caught off-guard.

She continues, “I didn’t mean to put you on the spot, sorry.”

Emily evades the other girl’s wandering gaze and, once an entire silence-filled minute passes, Alison breathes out a soft “Okay,” and shifts so she can get comfortable enough to fall asleep ━ though she knows that slumber won’t come anytime soon. Her eyes flutter shut, and she feels Emily move against her. Suddenly, Alison feels a pair of lips pressing against her mouth and, in response, her eyes fly open before flickering shut only seconds later. She melts into the kiss, more so because it seems…  _ different  _ than every other time, and she swears that she feels the other girl smiling. It doesn’t last long, but they both enjoy every moment of it and, when their noses brush against one another afterwards, Emily swallows nervously while Alison looks at her with curious eyes.

In the end, all the brunette can whisper is “You make me feel different,” which causes the other girl to grow shy.

“A good different?”

Emily nods, and that’s when Alison smiles into their next kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: My updates might come a bit slower because I'm trying to get this multi-chapter finished (and I've slightly hit a huge wall of writer's block), so be patient with me. Thank you for your time.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emison heart-to-heart regarding Mr. Fields’ passing; somewhat reinvented Toby/Emily scene ━ Sometime during 6B ━ As requested.

Alison looks across Emily’s front lawn as she sits next to the brunette who has been silent for an extended period of time. It’s not that she seems sad, per se, but there’s just so much to talk about since they haven’t exactly spoken in a while. So, every now and then, Emily will look at the other girl with a soft, “I don’t know what to say” kind of smile, and Alison will breathe out a small laugh with a mirrored expression. 

In the background, they can hear the other girls talking amongst themselves with the addition of Toby who decided to stop by so he can catch up with everyone. Caleb, however, abruptly opted out of the small get-together but, really, it’s only because things hadn’t ended all that smoothly with Hanna.

About fifteen minutes ago, the two had ventured off to relax. Initially, only Emily decided to get some fresh air on the porch but, not even a minute later, Alison joined her as she sat down on the same wooden step, smiling at the girl who looked at her with a curious grin. There’s been minimal conversation since, and Alison grows antsy with each silent, passing second, so she finally attempts to clear some of the mounting tension.

“How are you?” Alison tries to make small talk, but Emily just smirks at the other girl who rolls her eyes. “Really, Em, how are you?”

“It’s weird being back,” is all she can come up with because, well, it  _ is _ .

After everything, she thought she’d never step foot in this town again, even if her father’s headstone is located in Rosewood’s cemetery. If anything, that would be her  _ only  _ location within the area, and then she’d continue to avoid the remaining memories like the black plague. Alison, on the other hand, stayed in Rosewood after everything and, honestly, it still confuses Emily since this town was anything  _ but  _ “home sweet home” to the blonde. 

“I bet,” she nods, “but how are you with…” her body twists as she looks at the flag hung on the window, and Emily finally understands the question.

“I’m managing, surprisingly,” her brown eyes float to Alison with a tiny, relieved smile. 

“I’m not surprised,” Alison shrugs, and Emily looks at her with narrowed eyes.

She explains, “You’re strong, Em. You should know that by now.”

“I’m not sure,” her hands grip the beer bottle she’s holding, and Alison notices the change in her body language.

“You are. If you weren’t, you probably would’ve curled up and cried once you step foot on Rosewood soil.”

“I was close,” they share a laugh.

“No, I don’t know,” Emily continues. “After everything happened, I just… I couldn’t focus, at all. Everything went to shit, and I don’t know. A lot fell apart after he passed.”

“Well,” Alison uses her free hand to grasp onto the other girl’s wrist, “you’re here now, and that’s what matters.”

Emily’s cheeks turn a soft shade of pink as she looks at Alison’s hand, and that’s when the blonde girl retracts her arm as she clears her throat.

“Plus,” she recovers, “I’m sure your mom is happy to have you home.”

“I haven’t seen her much since I’ve gotten back,” Emily confesses with a sad smile. “Our schedules don’t really match up.”

“Maybe you two should go out to dinner somewhere,” Alison suggests. “Just to catch up, maybe.”

“Maybe,” is the other girl’s only answer.

For whatever reason, more silence falls on the pair while Hanna laughs about something further into the house. They look backwards to see what the commotion is about, but find nothing and Emily sighs before speaking again. 

“What about you?” Emily changes the subject, and Alison looks at her for a split second before she seems to think about the last few years.

“Mm,” she hums to herself as she squints her eyes, “I became a teacher at Rosewood High, as you know, and I’ve been taking care of Charlotte in my spare time. Jason visits every now and then but, otherwise…” she shrugs, and that’s the end of her story.

Emily really wants to ask if she’s had any relationships within the last few years but, instead, she just hums in response and gives the other girl a solid head nod before taking a sip of her drink. Alison sits quietly, occasionally swirling around her glass’ contents.

“Is that your drink of choice nowadays?” Emily smirks and nods at the red wine.

Alison mirrors the smirk when she hears the assumption, and she raises an eyebrow.

“What makes you ask that?”

“You’ve had the same thing each time we’ve met up,” the brunette looks at the front lawn with a smile, partially laughing at her own logic.

“Emily, we’ve seen each other like… three times since━”

“But during those three times━”

Alison huffs and forcefully looks away, and Emily snorts at the reaction.

“Here,” the brunette extends her beer bottle in the other girl’s direction, earning a tilted head and raised eyebrow because Emily should know that she hates beer.

“Seriously? You know I can’t stand beer,” she laughs.

“Just try it.”

After a long period of hesitation and stubbornness, Alison puts her glass of wine down and takes Emily’s beer bottle, trying to look inside to eye the contents as the brunette rolls her eyes at the dramatics. Before taking a sip, Alison’s blue eyes dart to the other girl who waits and, after, she grimaces while handing the bottle back to Emily who laughs.

“It’s no better than it used to be,” she coughs and makes a face.

“I know,” Emily smirks.

“And yet you  _ still  _ made me try it?”

“Mhm,” the smirk grows before turning into an actual smile as Alison narrows her eyes.

“And, yes, I’ve grown to appreciate red wine,” Alison speaks after a short period of silence.

“Since when?”

The blonde looks down at her hands clasped around the glass because, well,  _ someone  _ had introduced her to the substance and, right now, she doesn’t exactly want to mention it because, so far, it’s been such a relaxing night for everyone and who knows how Emily will take it. On the other hand, for her own sake, she wants to keep the information to herself because everything is still so confusing and, since the brunette is now in Rosewood once again, things will likely get even more difficult to decipher. 

Unfortunately, when Alison takes a little too long to answer, Emily puts two and two together on her own, and she nods as her throat goes dry.

“I’m going to see what everyone’s up to,” she gets up quickly, leaving Alison on the step as the blonde goes to say something but, once her mouth is open, Emily is already inside and her thoughts are already swirling while the front porch feels ten times more lonely. 


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison drags Emily into a lingerie store, only to be met by one of Emily’s overly flirtatious swim team members ━ Established Emison; Sometime after 7x10.

“Come on, Em,” Alison tugs on the other (reluctant) girl’s hand, giving her a stern head-tilt as the brunette scans the boutique’s front entrance.

Emily’s lips part as she looks at the intricate lingerie pieces staring her in the face through a front window, and Alison snorts at the expression because it’s really not that big of a deal, yet they’ve been standing here for at least five minutes. 

“I just want to get something nice, and then we can go home,” her blue eyes bore into the other girl’s absentminded gaze.

She continues with a now-arched eyebrow, “You’re acting like you’ve never been into a lingerie store before.”

“This isn’t like Victoria’s Secret, Ali,” the other girl tries to defend herself. “This looks more…”

“Expensive?” 

Emily’s eyes widen in agreement as she looks at the ground. For a Saturday day-trip type of thing, the two decided to go shopping at a little “outdoor mall,” sitting  _ just  _ outside of Rosewood. Alison had been here a time or two before, but she’s never gotten the chance to really scan the entire strip of boutiques due to timing and/or money limits. Of course, most shops are fancier, designer, or just flat-out expensive, but they’ve been having a nice time overall, and even enjoyed a small lunch date at a nearby cafe. 

Alison takes a short step forward, tilting her head with a convincing smile.

“I promise it’ll be worth every penny.”

It’s hard to argue with such a weighted (not to mention  _ seductive _ ) statement, so Emily clears her throat and gestures for Alison to go ahead of her. The blonde smirks when she realizes that she’s (once again) won, and the other girl follows as close as possible because, really, she still feels a little put-off by the entire “lingerie store” vibe. It’s not that these stores make her feel uneasy or awkward, but it’s just new to her ━ the entire experience is, actually. Currently, she’s walking around a lingerie store with her  _ girlfriend  _ ━ someone she’s loved for  _ years _ ━ and the thought of Alison wearing  _ any  _ of these items makes her feel extremely… nervous. 

Emily comes to a standstill in front of a centered display, and she nods at Alison while gesturing to her phone to tell the other girl that she has to send a text before following. Alison smiles as she walks over to a rack in the distance, still in visible sight, and Emily’s brown eyes not-so-accidentally check her out for a split second. So, quickly, she sends a text to Hanna who had asked her when they’ll be home, and smiles as she remembers how open the three girls were to her relationship with Alison ━ even Mona nodded her head at the relationship since, at the time, she was standing next to Hanna who smirked severely. 

“Coach Fields,” one of Emily’s Senior Class swimmers approaches the brunette with a big and bright smile, “fancy seeing you here.”

“Oh, Alexa,” Emily clears her throat and forces a smile as she shoves her phone back into her pocket. “Having a nice weekend?”

Really, the brunette wonders what the other, younger girl is doing in a fancy lingerie store, but then she remembers the multiple times Hanna  _ tried  _ dragging her into a few stores when they were in high school.

“I am now,” she smiles again, tilting her head while blinking her eyes rapidly.

Emily nods, wishing that Alison would tug her through the front doors because, to put it bluntly, the girl in front of her is  _ very  _ persistent and, lately, it’s been pretty unnerving. The brunette peers around the sparkly room, desperately trying to find her blonde girlfriend who, at some point, walked further into the store, but she can’t see her and, soon, Alexa is talking again.

“Hey, are you going to be around on Tuesday? After school, obviously,” she rambles. “I just figured that I need to work on my times, and I might need help perfecting my stroke.”

Again, she nods with a sharp “Mhm,” mostly trying to ignore the way the other girl’s eyes drifted downwards as she exaggerated the last word. If Emily’s being honest, the only reason why she hasn’t said something to anyone about Alexa being pretty…  _ flirtatious  _ (to say the least)… is because she isn’t sure if it’s all in her head or if the girl in front of her is  _ intentionally  _ being “seductive.” 

While Alison flips through a nearby rack, she hears her girlfriend talking to someone and looks backwards to see a tall, strawberry blonde-haired girl so-obviously flirting with Emily, and she raises an eyebrow before approaching the two with a (slightly bitter) smile, chosen items in-hand. Once she gets closer, she notes that it’s one of her former students, and one whom Emily  _ currently  _ coaches ━ and, really, one whom she’s  _ never  _ gotten along with. Just before she can get within five feet of the pair, she sees the girl partially lean forward as she whispers, “I’m low-key hoping you’re the one trying lingerie on,” and that’s when the blonde’s blue eyes widen as her pace quickens.

“Do you  _ really  _ think that’s appropriate to say to your swim coach?” Alison raises an eyebrow at the student who chews on her gum with a smile, first not noticing the blonde teacher who’s now standing next to Emily.

“Oh, hey, Ms. DiLaurentis,” her smile is anything but genuine, and, if she wasn’t a student, Alison wouldn’t hold back at this point, “I didn’t see you there.”

Alison shifts while making sure that she stands next to Emily as close as possible without looking  _ too  _ territorial ━ not that she really cares right now since this girl is practically heart-eyeing the brunette with no tact at all,  _ and  _ so-clearly ignoring Alison’s presence.

“Well,” Alexa sighs as she runs a hand through her hair, “I’ll see you Tuesday, then,” she smirks.

Again, Emily forces a smile and nods sharply, afterwards feeling ten times more awkward when the student’s eyes linger a bit too long before walking through the front doors. Alison’s eyes widen even more, and she nearly follows the other girl until her hand is snatched by Emily who silently scolds her with raised eyebrows. The blonde just looks at her girlfriend, glares, and pulls her hand away as she walks towards one of the backrooms. Emily sighs in mounting frustration, more so because she didn’t even really  _ want  _ to come into this store in the first place, and now there’s a reason to never come here again. After waiting and debating for an entire minute, Emily walks through the store’s various rooms (since the boutique is  _ much  _ bigger on the inside than from the exterior’s appearance), and her eyes scan the perimeter for any signs of the other girl, but she finds none. 

“Looking for something, dear?” an older woman dressed in a nice, suit-looking outfit smiles at the lost brunette, and Emily matches the polite smile.

“Just my girlfriend,” she continues to look around.

“I’m assuming you mean the blonde girl who just went into the dressing room.”

Emily’s lips part and she nods, eventually walking towards where the woman points. The store is practically empty, so everything seems much quieter, and her eyes continue to look through the racks before she pokes her head through the dressing room’s curtain. She notes the long line of changing rooms, but still no sign of Alison who is likely hiding in one of them.

“Alison?” 

No answer.

She rolls her eyes as she looks over her shoulder to see no one following her, then begins to partially peek underneath the various, sleek changing room doors. After a few seconds of thorough “peeping” along a line of empty changing rooms, Emily sees Alison’s shoes, and she walks up to the door with a soft knock.

“Ali?”

Still no answer.

“You can’t hide from me forever,” her voice is quiet, and Alison is likely glaring at the door as if her life depends on it.

Emily continues, “Please let me in.”

At first, she thinks the other girl is going to continue to ignore her and, possibly, stay in the changing room for another hour or two, but then she hears the faint click of a lock, and she turns the handle so she can sneak in. When she does, her eyes widen when the blonde is standing in the middle of the compact room, hands on her hips as she wears some light blue, lace outfit that makes her eyes seem twice as bright as usual. Emily clears her throat, forces a smile, and looks away so she doesn’t have to face Alison’s knowing, “but you’re still in deep shit” smirk, and then she crosses her arms so she can (attempt) to hold a sturdy conversation with the other girl. 

“I’m sorry,” she starts, “she’s always so… flirty, and I didn’t know if it was just in my head, or what.”

“So, she’s always that bad?” Alison’s eyes widen, much like before but, this time, she seems more nervous than angry. 

“She’s not always that  _ obvious _ , but yeah, it’s pretty bad,” Emily rubs at her own arms as she avoids the other girl’s stare.

Alison shifts her jaw and looks away, crossing her arms in defense.

“Ali━”

“Do you like it?”

“Like what?”

“Her flirting with you,” for whatever reason, her eyes look pretty broken, and Emily almost seems stunned by the entire question because they’ve come so far as of late, yet it seems as though Alison still doesn’t see how loved she is.

“No,” Emily shakes her head furiously, “no, Alison, she’s a student, and you’re…”

Their eyes lock, and Emily swallows hard because she can’t come up with an accurate word that sums up what Alison actually means to her; she could say “my girlfriend,” but that barely gives off any true, monumental explanation.

“You’re…  _ Alison _ ,” is what she settles on initially, “and that’s who I want. You.”

Alison waits a moment but, eventually, she approaches the other girl with a soft smile and a barely-audible “Okay,” and her lips press against Emily’s not even a second later. When Alison backs up, Emily shakes her head and leans forward again, kissing the other girl repeatedly with small breaks in between. 

“You’re busy on Tuesday afternoon, by the way,” Alison smiles against Emily’s mouth. “Don’t be late.”

Emily puts a few inches of distance between them as she breathes out a laugh and a quiet “Okay,” followed by another trail of pecks before Alison puts a bigger amount of distance between their bodies.

The brunette’s eyes rake the other girl’s appearance, and Alison laughs.

“Don’t enjoy the sight too much. I’m not getting it.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’ve already seen me in it. What’s the fun in that?” 

Alison’s smirk nearly melts the other girl, and that’s when Emily clears her throat again with a stern head nod. She turns away, determined to gain some sort of focus, but whatever bit of strength she’s recently scraped up is diminished when the blonde plants a wet kiss directly underneath her ear. Her eyes slam shut, and Alison must’ve seen because, before she backs up, she smiles with an even softer whisper that, in response, derails whatever train of thought the brunette had for the time-being:

“I meant it when I said it’ll be worth every penny.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: So, I've been pretty sick for the last few days which means I haven't been writing much. Once I get better, I'll be back on track with everything, but one-shot updates still might be a bit slow since I'm trying to get the multi-chapter done (which, yeah, I keep saying but, really, it's almost done).


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pre-disappearance Emison ━ Emily and Alison watch a scary movie on Halloween night ━ As requested.

Emily and Alison sit on the DiLaurentis’ living room couch, a bowl of candy set on the coffee table in front of them.  _ The Descent _ begins to play on the TV nearby, displaying a scene of river-rafting girls screaming as the water quickly brings them down a winding path. For this little “get-together,” Alison had moved the couch so the TV is straight across from the piece of furniture. Emily narrowed her eyes at the scene when she first arrived but, upon the expression, Alison automatically went on the offensive:  _ “I just wanted a better angle, damn.”  _ After that, Emily immediately knew that it was going to be a difficult night. 

Currently, the blonde girl pays more attention to her phone than to her best friend who sits next to her, an entire couch cushion separating the two. Emily glances at Alison a few times, especially when she wants to know what’s so damn important on Halloween night ━ a night when everyone, naturally, is outside running around ━  _ including  _ the rest of their friend group. 

Weeks ago, Alison was hellbent on attending Noel Kahn’s “infamous” Halloween bash, dragging the rest of her group into endless, decorative stores so they could find the most perfect costumes. Hanna grew “too excited” (as Alison had put it), while Spencer and Aria were just kind of… there. Emily, at the time, simply followed Alison’s lead and catered to her whenever asked, helping the blonde girl with specific things and/or complimenting her when she wondered if the costume really screamed “Alison  _ freakin’  _ DiLaurentis.”

Well, apparently Alison had changed her mind sometime during last week. The group of five stood around in one of Rosewood High’s various hallways while Hanna, Spencer, and Aria excitably discussed the party. Emily, as per usual, stood there and went with the flow, smiling at the other girls’ excitement however wondering why Alison just continued to stuff books into her locker. 

_ “Yeah, I don’t think I’m going,”  _ came the casual response. 

_ “Wait, what? Ali, you have to go,” _ Hanna tried.

_ “You’re the whole reason we agreed to go in the first place,” _ Spencer narrowed her eyes slightly.

_ “Well, I changed my mind, okay?”  _ Alison quickly snapped, causing four pairs of eyes to nervously dart around the hallway.

Noel, standing nearby, even looked at Alison, eventually raising his eyebrows when she scoffed in his direction. Hanna glanced at the floor as Spencer and Aria just shot one another looks. Meanwhile, the other brunette just held onto her schoolbag until Alison turned back around to face them.

_ “My dad has a late work-night on Halloween, and God only knows where Jason will be. Scary movies and booze at my place?”  _ she suggested, a devilish smirk on her face. 

The four other girls looked between one another, Spencer raising her eyebrows when Hanna went back to nervously staring at the floor. Aria was first to speak, somehow gaining the courage to stand up against their “queen bee.”

_ “I kinda already bought my costume, Ali… I can’t just not go to the party.” _

_ “No,”  _ Alison drawled with a pointed look, _ “you just want to go for Noel.” _

The shorter brunette visibly backed off, and it was Spencer’s turn to speak. 

_ “If Aria is still going, I’m still going.” _

_ “Me too,”  _ Hanna quietly spoke.

Alison stared at them before rolling her eyes, only to turn to her attention towards the silent girl standing right next to her.

_ “And you? Are you going with them or coming to my place?”  _

Emily opened her mouth, quickly closing it when nothing came out. Alison rolled her eyes again before walking off with a blunt _ “Whatever.”  _ The four girls stood there, dumbfounded at what had just happened with the last member of their group ━ or  _ first _ , technically. 

Nevertheless, Emily showed up to Alison’s house merely thirty minutes ago, having told the others _ “I just want to figure out why she’s been acting so strange.”  _ At that, Spencer huffed with a  _ “Good luck,” _ and they split after school. Luckily, it’s a Friday night, so that means her and Alison can stay up until ungodly hours ━ not to say that they don’t anyway. 

Emily gets snapped out of her thoughts by the sound of screeching tires on the TV, followed by a few metal rods flying through a man’s head whilst driving. Alison looks up from her phone screen and chuckles with an unimpressed expression, going right back to scrolling through social media afterwards. The brunette sinks further into the cushions, attempting to enjoy their “hangout time” and the movie ━ which, by the way, she’s seen at least seven times before. When the girl next to her continues to make faces at her phone, Emily speaks up, her voice barely a whisper. 

“Are you sure you don’t want to go out tonight, Ali? It’s not too━”

“I told you, Em, I want to stay home.”

Emily’s eyebrows raise and she looks back at the TV, “Okay then.”

“And you don’t have to keep whispering. We’re the only ones home.”

“I didn’t want to disturb you, sorry,” she huffs. 

Truly, she has no idea what’s up with this hot and cold attitude. One day, Alison is acting like a normal, sassy teenage girl, and the next she’s practically mauling anyone who sneezes. 

Emily fiddles with her fingers as she thinks, never taking her eyes off of the movie playing in front of her.

And, really, it’s weird to Emily ━  _ beyond  _ weird, actually. Alison has been off for a while now, especially since their “experimental” kiss in the woods ━ well, The Kissing Rock. The brunette never expected it to be anything more and, honestly, she didn’t even expect it to happen at all; she figured Alison would get her into the woods, and then run off so she’d be scared shitless. Of course, when they got to the rock, Emily grew extremely nervous, fiddling with her fingers as she’s doing right now. Alison, on the other hand, seemed calm ━ that is, until she sat down next to Emily and they locked eyes. It’s also weird, Emily thinks, that Alison apparently…  _ smiled  _ after they kissed. And then, she slightly smiled again after their kiss in the library. But, on the other hand, when Emily made a bolder move on the other girl, she was scorned ━  _ severely _ . After that moment in the locker room, Emily went home and cried while the conflicting feelings swirled in her mind. The next day, both her and Alison ignored one another, though Emily did it a bit more, intentionally moving away from the other girl whenever she was near. The other three girls just exchanged confused glances, getting a _ “Beats me”  _ and a shrug from Alison.

Her thoughts are broken up again when Alison’s cell phone lands on the coffee table in front of them, a wooden thud being slightly muffled by the group of girls yelling on the TV. 

“Is this supposed to be a scary movie?” the blonde looks at Emily and raises an eyebrow. 

“We’re not even fifteen minutes in, Ali.”

She shrugs, “Well, I’m going to get something to drink. What do you want?”

“I’m fine, thanks.”

“Seriously, Em, what do you want to drink?”

“I’m━”

“I’ll just bring you whatever I’m having.”

Emily furrows her eyebrows as she stares ahead. Suddenly, she’s dreading this visit, especially because Alison seems ten times more bitchy than usual ━ not that she’d say it aloud, she rolls her eyes at the idea. She hears some glasses clinking together nearby, sounding a lot like heavy alcohol bottles. Next, she hears the fridge’s ice maker drop some cubes into something plastic-sounding. Finally, Alison walks back into the room, two red cups in hand as she places one on the coaster in front of Emily. The brunette eyes it curiously, not wanting to speak in fear that her head will get bitten off.

“It’s vodka and soda. I know you’re not the biggest fan of beer,” Alison speaks, staring ahead at the movie. 

Emily side-eyes the other girl, wishing she could explain that she doesn’t exactly want to drink _ at all _ . Instead, she reaches for the drink and takes a large sip, somehow keeping a stone-like face afterwards. Alison watches her, tilting her head with a questioning tight-lipped smile when Emily puts the drink back onto the coaster. The brunette looks over to see the other girl staring at her, an unreadable expression written across her features.

“What?”

“Why’d you come here tonight?” comes the sudden question. “I mean, none of the other girls wanted to hang out, so why did  _ you _ ?”

“It’s not that they didn’t want to hang out, Alison. They were excited for the party, and we thought you were too until you randomly cancelled,” Emily tries.

“I was excited,” Alison sighs, “but I just don’t feel well.”

Emily’s eyes flicker to the cup in Alison’s hand, its contents already thinning out. The blonde notices this and rolls her eyes. 

“Not like that.”

“Then like what?”

“It’s complicated, Em,” she offers the other girl a sad smile, earning a confused and irritated look.

Emily looks away. It’s always complicated, she thinks, and it’ll never be  _ uncomplicated  _ until someone decides to fucking talk about it. She frowns severely, staring ahead at the TV while Alison’s head tilts to the side with concern ━  _ genuine  _ concern. 

“Em, I━”

“It’s fine, Alison. Just watch the movie. That’s the plan, isn’t it? Booze and movies.”

She doesn’t know where the sudden confidence came from but, thankfully, it couldn’t have come at a better time. Alison’s lips part and her eyes narrow, leaning back against the cushion as she watches the movie in front of her. Emily can tell it’s starting to bother her, however, because the blonde girl occasionally side-eyes her and shifts so she’s closer. Soon enough, Alison is sitting in the middle of the couch, just one cushion away from the other girl. Emily, meanwhile, feels like she’s suffocating herself because, while the other girl moved closer, she practically stopped breathing; the brunette has no idea what to do when it comes to Alison ━ not anymore, at least. 

“Emily.”

“Mhm?” her eyes don’t leave the screen.

“Look at me.”

Emily hesitates, her eyes only peeking at the other girl for a split second before going back to the movie. Eventually, however, she follows the instruction and turns her head towards Alison, a conflicted expression appearing on the blonde’s face. 

“Are you mad at me?” she finally asks.

“What? Ali, I don’t━”

“Are you mad at me?” comes the repetition, a more-stern tone replaces her small voice. 

The other girl sighs, “I’m not mad. I’m just… I don’t know why you’ve been acting so different, Alison. That’s why I came tonight. I wanted to find out why you’ve been so hot and cold.”

“So,  _ that’s  _ why you came tonight?” now, her tone is accusatory, and Emily looks away.

Emily doesn’t respond. Instead, she begins watching the movie again, and Alison shifts in her seat, crossing her arms across her stomach as her jaw clenches. The brunette swallows hard, trying to pay attention to the screen, though she has a hard time when she sees a lone tear fall from Alison’s eye. The girl quickly slaps at her cheek, which is weird because usually she tries being subtle about her emotional state, but Emily doesn’t say anything ━ she doesn’t even move. 

“I don’t know why I’m acting different, Em,” she stares ahead at the TV, “and I don’t exactly mean to take things out on you guys, but I guess it’s just easy. I’m sorry.”

Her apology isn’t the best, but Emily nods her head; she isn't going to pressure Alison into pleading for forgiveness, obviously, so maybe it would be best if she just left everything alone. 

She leans forward and grabs the red cup, quickly taking a long sip as Alison eyes her again. The blonde glances into her own cup and swirls the contents, sighing when she places it onto the coffee table in front of her. Before Alison can get comfortable, she runs over to the kitchen and shuts off the lights, next moving over to the living room wall and making both rooms completely dark ━ aside from the TV’s brightness. As she’s about to sit back down, the sound of screeching bats and screaming makes her jump, and she practically falls onto the other girl who snorts at the reaction.

“Stupid movie,” she mumbles as she rolls off of Emily, resuming her position from before: sitting on the middle cushion, knee brushing against the brunette’s.

Alison focuses her attention on the screen, her eyes drifting to the girl next to her almost immediately.

“They’re in a cave? Really?” she deadpans. 

“You’re the one who chose the movie,” Emily shoots back, not bothering to face the other girl.

“You could’ve told me,” her eyes widen. “You know I hate caves.”

“We can change it if you’re too scared,” it’s an absentminded response, but Alison (being Alison) takes it as a challenge, creasing her forehead before she grabs a nearby pillow and hugs it with a determined expression.

Soon enough, the movie shows one of the adventurers getting stuck in a rock tunnel, and Alison’s eyes avoid the TV. Emily looks at her, but the blonde can’t see because her face is buried into the pillow. So, when the scene is over, Emily offers a quiet “It’s over now” and Alison peeks out, swallowing hard and whispering a tiny “Thanks.” As the group on the TV argues about what cave they’re really in, Emily can see Alison shrinking further into the couch and, when a girl nearly falls to her death, the blonde takes a deep breath, which is when Emily decides to interrupt the (slight) silence.

“Really, we can pick out a new movie, Ali. I don’t mind.”

“No, we started this one, and you know I can’t just  _ not  _ finish a movie.” 

“But━”

She’s cut off by the sound of one of the adventurers falling down a hole, a sharp cracking noise sounding, and the brunette’s eyes widen.

“Close your eyes for this part,” she says, because she knows Alison well enough to understand that she’ll hate the gorey sight that comes next.

The blonde does as she’s told, quickly asking, “Why?”

“Just… I’ll tell you when it’s done.”

“Okay…”

The sound of the girl crying and screaming makes Alison’s eyes widen as she faces Emily, the pillow covering her view of the TV in front of her. The brunette glances at Alison with an “It’s almost over,” making sure to watch the unfolding scene so she knows when everything is okay. A sudden cracking noise makes Alison peek out, instantly regretting it when she sees some girl’s bone popping out. 

“What the fuck are we watching?!” she hides her face again.

“The Descent,” Emily answers ever so casually. 

The scene finally ends, and the climbers make their way out of a hole in the cave’s floor, causing Emily to look around the room with slight panic since they’re about to enter the movie’s high point. 

“You can look now,” she notifies, “but, Ali━”

The blonde cuts her off as she removes the pillow from her lap, “Is this movie all about them getting stuck in a damn━”

She’s cut off by a creature’s face appearing behind one of the girls on screen, her eyes widening as she completely jumps half-into Emily’s lap. Emily doesn’t exactly know how to react, so she sits there, arms stiff as Alison holds onto her. When the blonde doesn’t let go, Emily wiggles her arms free and softly wraps them around the other girl, silently being instructed to tighten the embrace when Alison climbs fully into her lap. The brunette sits there, holding the other girl, wide-eyed and a bit awkward. 

Alison slouches and buries her face into Emily’s neck, oddly enjoying the physical comfort. A bunch of screams and weird creature-like screeches come from the speakers, making the blonde take another look at the movie before shaking her head and going back to her previous position buried in Emily’s neck.

“Are you staying here tonight?” Alison mumbles against the other girl’s skin.

“If you want me to,” her voice is barely audible.

She feels a nod against her neck, causing her to bite her inner cheek.

“Are you  _ sure  _ you don’t want to turn it off?” Emily checks again.

The other girl shakes her head before backing up and looking into Emily’s eyes. She feels conflicting emotions stir in both her mind and the pit of her stomach, so she tries to look away but, for some reason, her gaze keeps ending up locked with the other girl’s. 

So, while the TV speakers blare with screams and heavy breathing, Alison moves quickly and presses her lips against Emily’s. The brunette is completely stunned, and her eyes don’t shut until ten seconds later when she still feels the other girl’s lips against her own. Alison grasps at her cheeks, holding the girl’s head firmly in place as they kiss. It’s a weird feeling, Emily thinks as their mouths continue to mesh, because the lip-lock is almost…  _ desperate _ , and she’s not sure if it’s because of Alison’s cave-phobia, or something much━

A harsh banging on the front door makes Alison practically fall backwards, but Emily catches her. The blonde wipes at her mouth and takes one, last, unreadable look at the other girl before turning around and running over to the door. Emily sits there, lips parted as she clears her throat and looks around, soon hearing the boisterous voices of a buzzed Hanna, Spencer, and Aria. They walk into the room, all three adorned in their respective costumes, shooting Emily cheesy smiles as Hanna plops onto the couch right next to the un-costumed brunette. The other two sit nearby, loudly discussing something that had happened at the party while they were there for only a few hours. 

“You should have been there, Ali,” Hanna’s eyes are wide. “Noel bought a ton of lights and decorations. More than usual. The entire place looked like it was in slow motion.”

“It would’ve been better if you were there,” Aria attempts to get back on Alison’s good side ━ not that she was ever, exactly, on the girl’s “bad side.” 

“I enjoyed staying in tonight,” Alison shrugs, and Emily’s eyes snap to hers for a split second.

The brunette swears she sees some sort of regret swirling in the other girl’s gaze, but it quickly disappears when she turns to the remaining girls with another devilish smirk.

“Better booze here,” she expands on her previous declaration.

_ And  _ she’s back, Emily thinks, slightly sinking into the cushions while Alison looks at her again. 

“Em,” her voice is sweet, but not a good kind of sweet; it’s the kind of sweet that’s sticky, and makes you feel like you’re going to throw up at any given second because you’ve had too much of it. 

Emily’s eyes float over to Alison’s, her expression hard as the blonde stares back at her.

“You’re still staying over, right?”

Before the brunette can respond, Hanna is wiggling in her seat, smiling big.

“I’m in!” 

“Me too,” Aria and Spencer chime in.

“Great,” Alison smirks, “looks like we’ll need more to drink,” she walks over to her cell phone and begins texting God only knows who.

“Ew, Em,” Hanna looks at the TV, “turn this off.” 

She looks away whilst reaching for the remote, sighing slightly as the screen goes black. After that, she sinks further into her seat while the night progresses, never touching her drink again, and staying out of every conversation as much as possible. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I know it isn't Halloween yet, but, because I have a second Halloween-themed one-shot, I decided to post this one today. The other (post-7A) one-shot will be uploaded on Halloween. 
> 
> Multi-chapter update: I'm working on the final chapter (besides the epilogue) of "January of 2011", so I'll be writing more one-shots after that's finished.
> 
> Un-story-related side note: I'm so sad PLL wrapped. Like... I've been in denial. Completely. And I probably always will be.


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison volunteers all five girls (including herself) to work a Rosewood High Halloween event ━ Bonus: Alison and Emily are caught in a pretty compromising position by one of the girls ━ Established Emison; Sometime after 7x10 ━ As requested.

“Alison, do me a favor,” Spencer starts as her arms go limp at her sides. “Warn me before you volunteer us to chaperone a school dance, next time.”

“What?” the blonde plays innocent. “Don’t act like these aren’t the best Friday night plans.”

Emily snickers while taking a sip of her drink, and Alison smiles at Spencer who rolls her eyes with a scoff. Meanwhile, Aria and Hanna approach the three girls standing by the drink table, eventually getting together in what looks to be a small circle so they can talk about whatever.

“Even Principal Hackett is dressed up,” Hanna raises her eyebrows at Alison. “I mean… it looks like he’s wearing his entire wardrobe, but it counts.”

Aria fixes her dress as she stands, having decided to pose as a basic princess, though, when Hanna asked who she’s supposed to be, the shorter brunette huffed with a quiet  _ “I didn’t know I had to be someone in particular.” _ Hanna, in response, shrugged while retying her button-up top after choosing something a bit more “Western,” ━ in the sense that she’s wearing a plaid, tied shirt, shorts, leather boots, and a hat. 

_ “Don’t you think that’s a bit… much… for a high school dance?” Spencer arches an eyebrow at the “cowgirl” who approaches. _

_ “What’s wrong with it?” _

_ “You mean… other than the fact that eighty percent of your skin is showing?” _

_ Hanna rolls her eyes and forces her shirt to fall a bit lower, eventually tugging down her shorts so they cover more than before. _

_ “Happy now?” _

Spencer, on the other hand, went for one of her old favorites: Mary, Queen of Scots ━ but she designed her costume to take on a “newer” look, therefore allowing her hair to fall more stylish while her outfit remains looking un-aged.

Alison, while picking out her costume, had a similar issue as Hanna ━ but, instead of “accidentally” showing too much skin, it was going to be intentional.

_ “Ali, no,” Emily scolds the other girl who scans multiple racks within the costume store.  _

_ “Why not?” Alison pays no attention to the brunette. _

_ Instead, she continues to search through the various, adult-looking options, noting how many skimpy outfits seem to adorn the racks nowadays. She stops at a few, smirking when her imagination starts to roam, and then her hands begin brushing through the costumes once more. _

_ “Because it’s a dance for horny teenagers, and it’s not going to be fun for us whatsoever.”  _

_ “Who said that?” the blonde turns around with a devilish grin. _

_ She approaches slowly as Emily looks around, slightly panicking until she notices that they’re standing in one of the far, back corners of the store. _

_ Alison’s grin turns into that same, damn, childish smirk, “I bet I can make it just as fun for you.” _

_ The brunette’s eyes darken, but she doesn’t respond, and that’s when Alison goes back to skimming through the costumes, quickly running into another aisle. _

In the end, Emily won, and Alison repeatedly groaned while putting on a simple “greaser chick” kind of outfit made up of tight, leather pants, a low-cut, black top, a short jacket, heels, red lipstick, and wavy hair. Among her many dissatisfied groans were  _ “These pants are going to suffocate me” _ and  _ “You owe me for this.” _ Emily, in response, smiled while putting on her own, “randomized” costume: black shorts and a black top, covered and backed by a deep red cloak with a hood, finished off with a pair of black boots. Additionally, her makeup is extremely dark, causing her eyes to look fairly lighter than usual while her cheekbones appear even more prominent.

_ “Woah, Em, you look hot,” Hanna beams at the brunette who finally approaches the four other girls.  _

_ Alison tries to avoid the other girl’s eyes, feeling as though she should kick herself for even suggesting that they chaperone a dimly-lit, festivity-infused dance on a brisk, Friday night towards the end of October. Really, they should be at home watching some dumb horror movie or, God, even a silly cartoon, but of course━ _

_ “Is this your version of Red Coat?” Spencer arches an eyebrow and Aria giggles. _

_ The frustrated blonde tries to breathe, and that’s when she mutters a curt “Come on, we should get inside” to the others who hum in agreement and follow.  _

_ As they walk, Alison falls back and tries to remain next to Emily as they weave through the hallways, but when the brunette’s hand “accidentally” smacks her ass, she grunts, and that’s when the tanned girl walks away with a smirk.  _

The speakers begin to blast a loud, techno version of some mainstream song, and Hanna whines at the choice.

“I’m going over there so I can save my eardrums,” Hanna points to a corner far,  _ far  _ away from where they’re standing. 

Aria nods at the three remaining girls, silently signaling that she’s following the blonde who just walked away. Spencer looks at Alison and Emily, eventually sighing and following both Aria and Hanna as she weaves through crowds of young students. Emily looks at Alison, her brown eyes looking similar to a hazel tint as a bright, flickering light occasionally lands on them. 

“Come on,” the brunette grabs the other girl’s hand but, as she goes to pull Alison towards the others, she’s dragged in the opposite direction.

She can’t get a full sentence out, and, eventually, she just goes with it until they’re in a separate, empty hallway as the bass thumps within the gymnasium walls.

“Alison, what are you━”

“Shh,” the blonde shushes as her hand continues to pull the other girl through the corridors.

“They’re going to come looking for━”

“What did I just say?”

Emily sighs, but her eyes narrow once they’re standing in front of Alison’s empty classroom, and that’s when she speaks again.

“Ali, we can’t even get into your━”

Her excuse is overruled when the blonde pulls out a spare key to her classroom, and she shoves the metal piece into the keyhole so she can open the room. Within seconds, the two are standing in a quiet, dark space but, surprisingly, it’s not as dark as Emily thought it would be since, surprisingly (at least in the brunette’s mind), Alison  _ actually  _ decorated for Halloween.

“I don’t usually decorate for holidays,” comes Alison’s shy comment as Emily walks around the room with a smile plastered on her face.

“Then why did you?” it isn’t an accusation, but she’s genuinely curious, especially because the blonde girl seems so timid at the moment.

“Let’s just say…” she starts, “I felt inspired.”

Emily turns to face the other girl, a noticeable blush covering her features as it shines through the dark makeup. The brunette bites her bottom lip and continues to look at the decorations, noting the various cotton spiderwebs, orange lighting, fake pumpkins, leaves, and banners.

“I love it, Ali.”

“Me too,” the other girl confesses as she leans against her desk. “Decorating was fun.”

“You’ll have to help me decorate for Christmas, then,” Emily smirks at the girl whose eyes widen at the thought.

“Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves. That’s  _ your  _ thing.”

“It could be  _ our _ thing,” her smirk grows as she approaches Alison who remains leaning against the front of her desk. 

“I’ll think about it,” Alison teases, but she pouts when she tries to kiss the brunette who backs away with a frown.

She continues, “You know I’m kidding, Em.”

Emily shrugs with a huff, exaggeratedly walking away from the other girl whose eyebrows furrow in confusion when she isn’t granted a kiss. She hears the brunette throw herself into the spinning chair behind the large desk, and the blonde shifts her body so they’re face to face again.

“What?” Emily squeaks out with a tiny laugh when she notices that she’s being glared at.

“I get  _ nothing _ ?”

“You get my presence. Is that not enough?”

“You know,” Alison pushes herself off of the desk, rounding the large piece of furniture until she’s standing in front of the other girl, hands on her hips as she tilts her head, “I’m getting  _ real  _ tired of your sass all the time.”

“What? You can dish it out, but you can’t take it?” Emily taunts with a smile, eventually swallowing hard after letting out a shaky laugh when Alison raises a daring eyebrow.

When the blonde sheds herself of her costume’s jacket and begins to move closer so she’s standing in between the other girl’s legs, Emily shakes her head with a quiet “I didn’t mean it, Ali” as she laughs ━ though it’s more out of nervousness because, honestly, she has no idea why she ever tries “poking the bear.” 

“Oh, I think you did.”

“No, I didn’t.”

Emily’s taken aback when the other girl decides to sit on her lap, right arm wrapped around her shoulders as her left plays with her own nails. The brunette watches on, eventually sucking in a sharp breath when Alison looks at her with darkened eyes and a tiny smile, and that’s when the blonde leans in and kisses her once on the mouth, afterwards tugging on her bottom lip. Emily breathes out a slight moan, and Alison backs up with a smirk before tilting her head and kissing the tanned girl’s neck, just above where the deep red cloak rests. As Emily feels teeth and lips gliding against her skin, her grip tightens on Alison’s inner thigh, earning a sharp noise from the other girl who bites down even harder. The brunette, in response, wants to earn an even bigger reaction, so she allows her hand to travel upwards, eventually landing directly between the other girl’s legs as she creates a noticeable pressure. She feels warm breath hitting her skin with a noise or two accompanying it, and that’s when she decides to drag her nails along the area.

“That’s not fair,” Alison backs up a fraction, earning a soft laugh from Emily who has to muffle a gasp when the blonde decides to nip at her pulse point, afterwards soothing the skin with gentle pecks.

Before Emily can capitalize, the classroom door opens, revealing a barely-even-stunned Hanna Marin with her hands on her hips. When her eyes drift downwards and she notes their overall position, she looks away with a realizing expression, but clears her throat soon after and that’s when the two try to untangle themselves a bit. As she hears the movement, her eyes drift back to the two, narrowing her gaze a fraction once she sees them both standing awkwardly.

“Alison,” Hanna half-heartedly hisses as she looks over her shoulder to glance into the empty, dimmed hallway, walking into the room and closing the door afterwards, “I didn’t force myself to come back to Rosewood High  _ just  _ to find you hiding with Emily.”

She shakes her head before continuing with wide eyes, “In more ways than one!”

“Hanna━” Emily tries.

“And I'll deal with you later,” the scolding blonde holds up her hand as Emily frowns.

“What do you have to say for yourselves?”

“We got distracted, I’m sorry,” Alison mumbles as she tugs her jacket back on.

“Really?” comes the girl’s sarcasm. “I couldn’t tell!”

Emily and Alison look at one another.

“You better fix yourselves because Spencer and Aria were only a few steps behind me, and they’ll probably be here any minute.”

As the two attempt to reassemble their costumes so it doesn’t look like they’ve been up to anything…  _ unfriendly _ , Hanna peeks her head through the door and slides out into the hallway again. Not even ten seconds later, Alison and Emily hear Spencer’s voice with a relieved “Oh, there you are, Hanna. Did you find them?”

Instead of waiting around, the blonde goes to walk over to the door when the other girl grabs her wrist with an almost inaudible “What are you doing?”

“We’re all straightened out,” the blonde says regarding their costumes, but chuckles at her pun afterwards.

Emily’s expression doesn’t waver.

“They’re going to ask questions,” comes her next worry as she chews her bottom lip.

“We’ll just say we needed to talk about something,” Alison shrugs. “Even if they don’t believe us, fine.”

Emily shifts her jaw and looks at her hands with timid body language. Alison’s eyes flicker between the girl’s hands and her face, eventually tilting her head and intertwining their fingers.

“It’s now or later, Em,” she smiles sadly. “Aren’t you tired of hiding?” she raises an eyebrow as the double-meaning passes her lips.

She continues with confidence, “Em, if you're worried about me… don't be. I'm right where I want to be, and that won't change. No matter what they think.”

When Emily doesn’t answer, Alison opens the door and exits. Spencer and Aria narrow their eyes as Hanna looks at the other blonde with confused, furrowed eyebrows. Emily, eventually, follows Alison through the door with an awkward expression, but no one asks questions ━ which is a complete surprise. Actually, before anyone can say a word, they hear a booming voice come from the gymnasium suggesting that everyone gather so the costume contest winners can be announced. 

Spencer groans, “Let’s go.”

Hanna follows after curiously eyeing the couple with a “you're not off the hook just yet” type of (semi-playful) glare, and Aria stays behind with the two girls. Emily and Alison stand there, feeling sized-up by the shorter brunette who wears a soft smirk.

“Em,” Aria leans closer with crossed arms, “you’ve got a little lipstick right…” she uncrosses her arms and points to the girl’s neck, wiggling her finger to exaggerate that it’s not only in one area.

Emily’s eyes widen and her cheeks turn a bright red as she practically slaps at her neck. Alison snickers at the reaction, but approaches the embarrassed girl so she can help erase the marks. While Emily groans, Aria giggles, and Alison rolls her eyes at the girl’s dramatics. 

“I thought you said we’re all straightened out,” Emily whisper-hisses at Alison who smiles.

She shrugs, “Maybe I just thought that the lipstick goes nicely with your costume,” and, as the three girls begin to walk back towards the gymnasium, Alison reaches for Emily’s hand, intertwining their fingers as the brunette sighs at the feeling. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Halloween!


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison goes out of her way to take care of Emily after Mr. Fields’ passing ━ As requested.

Alison pulls out her phone in order to check the time, partially adjusting the large camping backpack that’s clinging to her shoulders. The numbers read 8:43 P.M., which means that her body thinks it’s 11:43 P.M. ━ which ultimately means that she’s feeling super sluggish. She walks through the halls of one of Pepperdine’s dormitories, desperately trying to find where she’s supposed to go: Emily’s residence. 

It’s not like the brunette really  _ invited  _ her but, after the girl’s father had been killed in action so suddenly, Alison grew determined to make sure that she’s okay. Sure, the blonde admits that she was given a quick  _ “I’m okay” _ while at the man’s funeral back in Rosewood but, as Emily was sliding into the side of her father’s hearse, she had an empty look in her eyes, and Alison hated it ━ she still does. So, as soon as Alison got home, she booked a flight out to California (weeks in advance) just so she could check on the other girl ━ and possibly surprise her. While Alison was clicking around on some airline websites, she began to wonder if her actions would be overstepping any boundaries, or, maybe, Emily didn’t even  _ want  _ her there. As she began to hesitate before purchasing her round-trip ticket, a weird, butterfly-esque feeling started to attack her stomach, and she forced herself into clicking that neon _ “Book flight” _ icon, smiling afterwards.

Finally, she reaches a door designated with Emily’s supposed room number:  _ “29.” _ Taking a deep breath, she knocks on the wooden barrier, afterwards waiting for the brunette to open the door. Instead, when the door opens, a red-haired girl looks at her with furrowed eyebrows and dark-rimmed glasses, wearing a revealing tank top and short pajama shorts. Meanwhile, Alison severely hopes that this girl is only a roommate and nothing more ━ but, wait, why does she care?

“Did you need something?” the girl narrows her eyes at Alison who stands there like she’s completely lost.

“Oh, um…” she clears her throat, “does Emily live here?”

“Wait a second,” comes the girl’s next response, and she smiles slightly as she crosses her arms and leans against the doorway, “you’re… um…” she snaps her fingers a few times, “Alison! Right?”

“Uh, yeah,” Alison tries to force a smile even though she’s far beyond confused.

“Mhm,” the other girl hums with another smile. “Yeah, she lives here, but she’s been gone for a few days now.”

The blonde girl tries not to break down in front of the stranger because, really, she’s super tired and, if Emily isn’t here, then where is she?  _ “Just great,”  _ Alison thinks; Emily could be anywhere in the entire state of California. When her thoughts begin to roam even further, she remembers the fact that Paige also lives nearby, and her stomach drops. Her face must pale a great amount, because the other girl looks at her with wide, sympathetic eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“Sorry, I just…” Alison shakes her head with a deep breath. “I don’t really know where to go from here. I’m not…”

“I know. You live pretty damn far for someone who just decided to stop by California for an old friend.”

_ Old friend. _

Alison’s eyes water slightly, and that’s when the other girl’s lips part as she nods in understanding. Before the blonde can get out a quick “Sorry for bothering you,” the red-haired girl pulls her inside and shuts the door behind them. Alison walks around the room after tossing her bag nearby, noting Emily’s designated side because, well, it’s covered in old Rosewood Sharks memorabilia, pictures of their group, and photos of her family. A soft smile crosses her features, but she turns around when she hears the girl talking.

“Hey, Emily,” she says, and the blonde notes that she’s on the phone.

“Really, it’s━” Alison tries, but she’s cut off by the other girl waving her hand. 

In any other situation, she’d likely raise an eyebrow at the gesture, but this girl is completely going out of her way in order to reach Emily and Alison feels thankful.

“I just thought you should know that someone important is here to see you,” the girl smiles as she looks around the room, chuckling at something the brunette says over the speaker.

“No, this isn’t a joke,” she continues. “Alison is here.”

The blonde’s blue eyes watch the girl’s smile turn into a full-blown smirk, and Alison doesn’t hear any noise coming from the speaker for a long period of time afterwards. Finally, Emily’s roommate laughs with an incredulous “No, I’m not going to give her the phone. Get your ass back here and talk to her in person.” And, with that, the red-haired girl hangs up and faces Alison with a beaming smile. 

“She’s on her way.”

Alison’s lips part and she looks around, being caught off-guard by all of these scattered events, especially because she’s extremely tired and just wants to lie━

“I’m sure she won’t mind if you relax while you wait,” the girl nods towards Emily’s bed with a genuine smile.

Alison tries to match the expression but can’t; everything is hitting her all at once, and she has to blink a few times before she can actually sit down on the edge of Emily’s bed and really focus. As the blonde moves further onto the bed, eventually lounging across the mattress as she plays with her nails, Emily’s roommate sits on her own bed and begins to scribble along a sheet of paper, quietly humming to herself while occasionally typing something one-handedly on her laptop.

“I’m Jessie, by the way,” she answers Alison’s silent questions as she doesn’t even look up from her work.

“Nice to meet you,” the blonde comments, glancing in the other girl’s direction.

When more awkward silence begins to build, Alison decides to break it this time.

“Does Em leave a lot?”

The other girl pauses her writing, just staring off for a split second but, when she faces Alison, her expression is unreadable, and the blonde wonders if she shouldn’t have asked in the first place.

“She didn’t always. It was mostly just school stuff, or if she was heading off to work,” Jessie explains, “but, after her dad passed, I could tell she didn’t like to be confined to her room anymore. I’m not offended,” she shrugs. “I know she needs her space.”

The last sentence catches Alison’s attention, mostly because she’s been wondering if they had ever hooked up or dated but, honestly, she doesn’t even want to ask.

“Plus, I like my space too. My girlfriend comes over much more often than she used to,” Jessie absentmindedly talks to anyone who’s listening, and Alison side-eyes the girl because she’s practically already read her mind three times during this short visit. 

Jessie looks at Alison suddenly, “Did you two ever…?”

The girl slightly blushes, being taken completely off-guard by the question and not having enough time to put a stone-like expression on. In response, Jessie makes a slight “ahh” noise, and Alison bites her inner cheek.

Within seconds, the door swings open to reveal none other than Emily, and the brunette smiles at Alison who sits up as quick as possible, feeling somewhat nervous around the other girl. Without missing a beat, Emily walks over and pulls Alison into a hug, careful not to get emotional since she’s been feeling pretty damn sensitive ever since she’s been back in California.

“You could’ve called, you know,” Emily pulls back with a quiet voice. 

“I know,” the blonde nods, “but I didn’t want to hear you try to come up with an excuse as to why I shouldn’t waste my time coming here.”

The other girl blushes and looks away, getting caught by Jessie who snorts at the reaction.

“Come on,” Emily picks up Alison’s backpack and slings it over her shoulder.

Alison can barely get out a proper “Goodbye” to Jessie before she’s being dragged through the doorway, and that’s when Emily stops with a “Wait a minute. You must be exhausted, Ali.” The blonde nods in agreement, but she continues walking next to the other girl.

“Were you planning on staying with me, or…?” the brunette wonders aloud, side-eying the visitor as they walk through a hallway.

“No,” Alison shakes her head, “well, I don’t know. I booked a hotel room, but I wasn’t sure.”

“Where?”

“Um, I don’t remember the name,” she laughs, rubbing at her head. “It’s just down the street from the main part of campus.”

Emily nods, “Okay, let’s go.”

“You’re coming?”

“Ali, you came all this way to see me. I’m not going to just drop you off and leave.”

They both smile for a split second and, soon, they’re getting into Emily’s car so they can head over to the hotel. Meanwhile, the brunette feels a familiar sensation flow through her body, almost as if she’s her young self again whilst hanging out with Alison. This time, however, they’re both older, and Alison is going far,  _ far  _ out of her way just to be together. On the other hand, the blonde feels the exact same way, but likely far more nervous, especially because she doesn’t really want anything to happen while the other girl seems to be recovering from her father’s death. 

 

X X X

 

“Why did you only bring one bag?” Emily narrows her eyes with a smile as they enter Alison’s hotel room.

The space is centered by one, queen-size bed facing a small TV, and, in the near corner of the room, there’s a small bathroom. Somewhere along the wall, the two see a small fridge, and the room’s furthest wall is adorned by three, large windows that look out towards a crowded part of the city. Overall, the room is mostly neutral-toned, and it looks cozy as opposed to one of the creepier, cheap hotels within the same vicinity.

“Well,” Alison closes the door behind them, “I figured that I’m not going to be here for long,  _ unfortunately _ , and, if I needed any other clothes, I’d just steal yours.”

Emily tries to stop herself from smiling, but she can’t, so she looks away as she places Alison’s bag onto the bed. After peeking through the windows for a short moment, she sighs and sits down on the edge of the mattress, watching the blonde who stares at her from across the room.

“What?”

“How are you?” the other girl treads carefully and Emily bites her bottom lip.

“I’ll be okay.”

“But how are you _ right now _ ?” she walks over and sits next to the brunette, her eyes still scanning the girl’s face.

“I’m… holding up,” comes the confession. “It’s hard, and I can’t focus on school so, honestly, my grades have been slipping so much, but I’m still here, so I guess that’s my answer.”

“I’m glad you’re still here,” Alison wraps her arm around the other girl’s shoulders, allowing Emily to tilt sideways and rest her head.

“How long are you staying for?” Emily swallows hard, mostly because her throat is starting to feel sore because she’s been trying not to cry, and the answer could, potentially, cause her to do just that.

“I’m supposed to be staying for two nights.”

“ _ Supposed _ to be? Like… you might leave earlier?” the brunette seals her lips as she tries to breathe steadily.

“No,” Alison shakes her head, “I mean that I’ll stay longer if you need me to.”

“Ali,” Emily sits up, “I wouldn’t ask you to do that. I know you have school, and family━”

“You are also my family, Em, and school can wait. I’ll stay as long as you need me to,” the blonde pauses, “or  _ want  _ me to.”

Emily nods as she looks down at her hands folded in her lap, but Alison takes one of them and holds it steadily.

“But I’m  _ definitely  _ going to need more clothes if you ask me to stay longer.”

They share a small laugh as their fingers slightly intertwine, though both girls are nervous to really make any sort of solid, hand-holding move because of the circumstances and the entirety of their relationship. Where do they even go from here? Either way, Alison is prepared to stay as long as Emily asks and, hopefully, she asks for forever because, lately, that’s all she can think of. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a little fluff for you.
> 
> Just a reminder that if I ever write your idea and tweak it a little bit, it's only because I felt that it'd work better this way. For example, some people ask me to write steamy things in certain situations that I can't exactly make work. But, with that being said, I hope you're always satisfied with what I write.
> 
> Multi-chapter update: Ch 20 is done, the epilogue is almost done, and revising has begun. Without giving you any specific date, I can say that it'll definitely be out this month. That's the goal. Possibly around Thanksgiving (if you celebrate the holiday). Thanks for bearing with me and my slow tendencies.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scenario: Alison not-so-subtly gets jealous of Hannily ━ Sometime after 7x10 ━ As requested.

The six girls sit around within the confines of the Hastings’ living room ━ Mona included. The little get-together was originally supposed to revolve around hunting for A.D. as Mona helped Spencer search for clues within some online documents. In the end, the group began to lose focus and side conversations grew as the clock struck midnight.

“You guys can just… stay, if you’d like,” Spencer throws the suggestion over her shoulder as she walks into the kitchen. “It’s late and I doubt anyone really wants to drive home. I’m sure we could all fit in here.”

Collectively, the other girls shrug with a few _ okay _ ’s and  _ sure _ ’s, except from Mona who also mutters a quick “Thanks” since the five were really starting to include her. Hanna offers her a reassuring smile, and Mona matches it before turning back to the laptop, attempting to refocus herself on whatever A.D.-oriented information she had recently stumbled upon. Emily, on the other hand, sits next to Hanna on the couch, and Aria sits somewhere adjacent to the three. Alison, having switched seating placement repeatedly, eyes Hanna and the tanned girl curiously, especially when the other blonde’s head tilts over to rest on Emily’s shoulder as her arms wrap around one of the brunette’s.

They’ve been like this lately: super close. It doesn’t usually bother Alison, definitely not, but lately it seems ten times more amplified. Really, she has no idea if it’s because she and Emily are finally,  _ officially  _ a couple ( _ and _ out to the other girls), or possibly even due to the hormones that have been flowing through her system for weeks now. Either way, every time those two are together, they seem to be super clingy with one another and Alison has felt herself needing to bite her tongue every now and again. She hasn’t mentioned it to Emily though because, well, what if she scares the brunette off so early into their relationship? Sure, they’ve technically been together (or in love, whatever) for a while now, and the brunette has put up with her through endless issues, but this is a whole different ballgame. She’d likely think that Alison’s telling her to stop being best friends with Hanna, and that’s truly not it one bit. Actually, she admires their relationship. Sometimes it just becomes difficult to tell where friendship ends and admirable crushes begin.

“Ali, can you…” Spencer calls the other girl over with a quiet voice, softly laughing when she tries to make multiple cups of tea, coffee, and balance the serving tray all at the same time.

The blonde chuckles at the predicament, immediately shuffling into the kitchen so she can help the struggling girl out. Alison takes a few cups out of Spencer’s hands, assisting her with the hot beverages as much as possible. She brings them over to the girls two by two while earning some gracious responses, eventually heading back into the kitchen to help clean up. She leans her back against the counter, arms crossed as she semi-glares at Emily and Hanna who giggle over something as the blonde nuzzles further into her best friend’s neck. At first, while Spencer washes her hands, she thinks that she’s the one being glared at, and her wide eyes meet Alison’s narrowed ones before she follows the line of sight over to the two sitting on the couch. When she turns back to Alison, the blonde forces her gaze away and shifts her jaw slightly, swallowing hard afterwards while trying to look less jealous and conflicted.

“Alison,” Spencer slightly scolds the other girl with a knowing smile, making sure to keep her voice down, “you know how they are.”

“I know,” she looks towards the kitchen island somewhere in front of her.

“And even if she wasn’t the Hanna we know and love, Emily wouldn’t dare━”

“I know that,” Alison partially snaps, instantly regretting it.

“Do you?” Spencer crosses her arms and faces the other girl completely, blocking the blonde’s view of the others.

No answer.

“If she wanted to leave you, she would’ve done it by now. She’s loved you forever, Ali. Since even before you disappeared and that was an  _ extremely  _ long time ago,” her voice is soft yet pretty strained, especially because she wants to get her point across once and for all.

“I don’t know,” Alison shakes her head. “I know she thinks she loves me, but━”

“ _ Thinks _ ? Love isn’t just a concept you imagine, Alison, it’s something that you feel. I wish I had a solid, knowledgeable, book-heavy answer to prove that fact wrong, but I don’t. You need to trust her,” Spencer pleads, “ _ and _ me,” she adds with a soft smile. 

Alison sighs, “Honestly, I never thought you’d be this open to…  _ us _ .” 

“Neither did I,” Spencer now mimics the other girl’s position, leaning against the countertop with her cup of tea clasped between her sleeve-covered hands, “but I am, and I think you both deserve a little light in your lives. We all do.”

“Do you think Em and I will make it through?” her voice sounds nervous and pretty shaky, being almost inaudible at the time while her eyes glance at the smiling brunette in the living room.

“You both have been through the wringer,” the girl breathes out with wide eyes while nodding her head, “but there’s no doubt in my mind. Both of you have to put in equal effort to make it work though,” she gives Alison a “you better not avoid any difficult conversations” look, and the blonde rolls her eyes with a smile.

“Spence,” she whispers again, suddenly feeling super shy and everything  _ but  _ confident.

When the other girl looks at her with furrowed eyebrows, Alison chews her bottom lip before continuing.

“I  _ really  _ want things to work out with Em and I.”

Spencer smiles, raises an eyebrow, and says, “Then you better  _ make  _ things work out.”

Once she walks away, Alison is left with nothing but sudden nerves and a few smiles. She stands in the kitchen, arms fallen to her sides as she looks into the other room where Emily offers her a wink and a cheesy smile as Hanna does something on the computer with Mona. In the end, Alison takes a deep breath, mutters a quick “Okay” to herself, and walks back into the living room with the others where she forcefully squeezes her body in between Hanna and Emily, earning a grunt from the brunette and a playful “ _ Finally _ , Alison, you’re probably more cuddly than Em is” from Hanna. So, as hours progress, rampant thoughts are set aside, and her former jealousy dissipates as she’s squished in between Hanna and Emily who bicker over who gets to cuddle Alison for the time-being. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really love Spalison. Actually, I love all of Alison's individual relationships with the others, and I think they're completely underrated sometimes and it makes me sad. 
> 
> Multi-chapter update: Everything is written, revising is in the works (which means ya'll should thank "dilaurentisfields" on Tumblr because she's been working her ass off), and I now have a solid publishing date to share: November 16th. So, unless some random, insane occurrence smacks me in the face before then and I have to delay it (which wouldn't be long anyways), I'll be posting then. Like I said previously, the first three chapters are a prologue to the actual story, and I'll mention it again so you're reminded at the beginning of Ch 1 of "January of 2011". Once I post Ch 1 of the multi-chapter, I'll post a one-shot on here so I can give everyone a heads-up because I don't want anyone to be left out of the loop.
> 
> Anyway, look out for "January of 2011" on November 16th!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What could have happened after the 7x10 Paige vs. Emily conversation ━ As requested.

Emily takes multiple deep breaths as she makes her way back up the DiLaurentis house’s front steps. Officers glance back at her to make sure she’s successfully on the premises with little-to-no trouble and, although it’s nice (especially when they keep unwanted visitors out), she wishes that they’d stare at her less than they have been. It makes her feel uneasy, to say the least, but, then again, Paige would have stared at her for much longer if the officers hadn’t been around in the first place. The brunette wonders what her ex-girlfriend was thinking when she decided to show up at Alison’s house  _ just  _ to deliver a stack of papers. It definitely could wait, especially because Paige knows what’s been happening as of late. Sure, Emily  _ had  _ to be at least a bit friendly, especially because she didn’t want to cause a scene while Alison was sleeping so peacefully just inside the walls of her living room ━  _ especially  _ because the blonde definitely needs the rest right now ━ but she didn’t (and  _ doesn’t _ ) exactly have as much patience with her ex as she was displaying outside.

She shakes her head as her hand reaches for the doorknob but, before she can open the barrier, it swings open to reveal Alison who rubs at her head with force as she narrows her eyes at the brunette who stands in front of her like a deer caught in headlights. Emily looks around for a brief second, then passes the other girl who walks away while she shuts the door. 

“You need rest, Ali,” is the brunette's first comment as she tosses the packet of papers onto a nearby table. “It’s early. Go back to sleep.”

“I  _ was  _ sleeping,” Alison walks further into the living room, crossing her arms in defense as her tired eyes try to focus on the girl in front of her, “but… I don’t know. I felt you get up, and I wasn’t sure if…” her voice trails off.

“I’m not leaving, Ali,” Emily comforts, approaching the other girl.

She reaches out and rubs her palms up and down along the blonde’s arms, comforting her in any way possible. Yeah, they kissed last night ( _ repeatedly _ ), but she isn’t sure what they are, or what Alison wants them to be, so, for know, she’ll give her any lighter form of comfort without crossing any potential barriers. Alison takes a step forward, almost curling her body into Emily’s as she silently asks to be held by the brunette who is much more awake than she is at the moment. 

“I didn’t mean to wake you. I’m sorry,” Emily sighs.

“Why were you outside, anyway?”

She wants to lie and, honestly, every power in her mind tells her to because she knows how frustrated Alison has gotten within the past two days just because of Paige’s very existence in the vicinity known as Rosewood (and probably even further), but she knows they’re past this lying thing ( _ finally _ ) so, in the end, she just… says it.

“Paige stopped by, and━”

“She what?” Alison backs up with an unreadable expression, voice choked out as her forehead creases.

“I guess she needed to bring me some papers for the school and it couldn’t wait.”

“Yes, it could have.”

“I know that, Ali, but━”

“And I’m going to take a wild guess and say she wasn’t happy that you stayed here overnight,” Alison crosses her arms while shifting her jaw, daring the other girl to deny it. 

When Emily breathes out and looks away, the blonde nods with wide eyes. 

“Because she’s so much better, right?” comes her next response, and Emily looks at her with a confused expression.

She explains, “She’s a saint whereas I’m always going to be the spawn of Satan. That’s how it’s always been, and that’s how it’ll always be. I can’t change. She can, but I can’t. It’s not in my blood, apparently. According to her, at least,” she rants, feeling more awake yet  _ way more _ frustrated. 

“Where is this coming from, Alison?” the brunette shakes her head furiously.

“She thinks she’s better for you than I am, Em!”

Emily’s lips part and she can’t exactly come up with an answer for the other girl who looks as if she’s about to break down as they speak. Instead, she takes a step forward, forces some sort of confidence, and wraps her arms around Alison once again as she kisses the side of her head.

“I don’t care what she thinks, Ali,” she pauses, “and neither should you.”

Alison clenches her jaw but enjoys the feeling of being wrapped in the other girl’s arms so, within seconds, she feels herself going slightly limp as she allows herself to revel in the sensation of security.

“Alison, you know how I feel about you,” Emily wants to be honest with the girl who seems so insecure about everything having to do with herself and their blossoming relationship, so she decides to be completely open, even at the risk of being scorned like when they were younger.

She continues, “You’ve always been the Alison that I know and love. That’s never changed, and it never will. On the other hand, you  _ have _ changed… but for the better. I really want you to remember that.”

The other girl smiles even though Emily can’t see, and she takes a deep breath before putting a small amount of distance between their bodies. When she does, she looks at the brunette with a small, nervous smile, and she leans forward to kiss her again. Like the night before, it’s gentle and very cautious, but they can both sense genuine  _ feeling  _ as their lips meet again and again. About two minutes of repeated, short kisses pass before they depart with Emily looking a bit dazed as Alison breathes out a small laugh.

“Are you tired?” Emily finally asks in a whisper. 

Alison’s smile turns regretful and she nods her head slowly. 

Emily mimics the nod, gives the other girl a soft “Go get comfortable.” Alison complies but, instead of going upstairs like the brunette imagined she would, the girl cuddles up on the couch again, waiting to be held like before. When Emily sees her situated on the couch after checking her phone somewhere nearby, she smiles. In the end, before wrapping her arms around the other girl who seems much more confident in their relationship than when she first woke up, Emily closes the living room curtains, darkening the room until their faces are only slightly visible.

Once they’re completely situated, Emily feels a soft kiss get pressed against the corner of her lips, and she smiles before pulling Alison closer. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Multi-chapter note: Guys... less than a week until I can finally show ya'll what I've been working on. I really hope you like it. To those who don't want too much angst, I'm sorry but there's A LOT of it (like... a lot, I'm sorry), but it's also very conflicting, comforting, and domestic.
> 
> Note regarding one-shots: I'm still writing them (as I keep saying), but far less than I was before just because I'm getting the new story ready. I don't mean that I'm going to stop uploading one-shots, but they may come less and less, and you might not see your request for a little since I'm uploading in order. My apologies. 
> 
> Additionally, I forgot if I've told anyone or not, but I'm going to be writing a four-part Christmas story that I'm really excited for because I have a lot of emotional dialogue added in. Once again, angsty, but I'm going to make it as festive as I can because I, personally, love the holidays. If you don't, that's cool, but I'm sure you'll like some wintry Emison anyways. 
> 
> I don't know how/why this note got so long, but I just wanted to say one more thing: I don't want to get into anything political (and please don't come at me with your views), but I really wanted to express that I love you all, and I hope no one is too scared about anything going on in the world. Some things suck while other things are so much brighter, but regardless, happiness and strength are so important, and I hope everyone takes the time to breathe in and out as much as you need. 
> 
> If you ever need me, no matter if it's advice or to ask about my stories, my ask box on Tumblr ("capn-charlie") is always open for anonymous (or public) messages/questions.
> 
> I'll see you for the next one-shot!


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pre-time-jump Emison; After A is unmasked ━ Alison sneaks into Emily’s room late at night, only for them to be embarrassed in the morning by a knowing Pam ━ As requested.

Emily’s eyes flutter open to the sharp sensation of beaming, Saturday morning sunlight coming through her thin curtains, accompanied by the fact that she thinks her door just closed but, when she glances in its direction, another, sleeping body blocks her view, clinging to her side. She smiles, through her arm feels numb and it has for quite a bit now, but she’s never slept so soundly. 

After years, A is finally gone and locked away in Radley, while her relationship with Alison has been getting pretty…  _ mature _ . She shifts at the thought, feeling her almost-fully bare skin gently stick to the other girl’s because, well, when they were finished with their late-night and early-morning activities, they didn’t have the energy to redress fully, and their eyes drooped shut minutes after. Really, they didn’t go  _ all  _ the way ━ okay, yes they did, but their clothes stayed  _ partially  _ on (just in case) because of the whole “No sleepovers with your girlfriend” rule that her mother had set years prior ━ and, yes, she knows about Emily’s relationship with Alison. Surprisingly (that’s a lie), Alison didn’t take too kindly to the rule, and the brunette found the other girl knocking on her window around two in the morning.

_ “Ali?” Emily tosses her phone onto her bedside table, having been texting the blonde girl for hours upon hours, thinking that Alison was also in bed. _

_ Emily moves over to the window and forcefully pushes it upwards, looking at Alison with an “are you nuts?” expression. Soon, the silent scolding turns into a soft smile once her girlfriend whispers “Aren’t you going to let me in?” _

_ So, she helps the other girl into her bedroom, regaining her expression from before. _

_ “You could’ve hurt yourself, Alison.” _

_ “I’ve done it plenty of times, Em. Plus,” she approaches the brunette, “I wanted to see you.” _

_ A gentle kiss is placed to Emily’s lips a second later, and her eyes flutter shut for a brief moment. Before she can get lost in the kiss, however, she takes a step back with a harsh whisper. _

_ “Alison, if my mom catches you in here━” _

_ “You know she loves me. She’ll forgive us.” _

_ “Well yeah, but━” _

_ “Fine,” Alison closes the distance again with a big smile, “tell me you want me to leave, and I will.” _

_ Emily can’t answer. Actually, her lips are sealed when the other girl presses forward and kisses her with more passion and energy, causing the room to feel extremely heated as Alison pushes their bodies completely together while Emily’s hands start to roam. Suddenly, she feels nails dragging up and down her skin, toying just underneath her shirt and waistband, and a soft moan escapes her mouth but it’s muffled by the brunette’s. She’s being pulled forwards soon after, eventually ending with both girls landing on the bed with a quiet thud. Emily rests on her back, desperately kissing her girlfriend who lies on top of her, and she tilts her head back when Alison’s lips travel down her neck. _

_ The blonde backs up, “Remember, you’re going to have to be quiet.” _

_ Emily nods in response, though she really wants to narrow her eyes at the girl hovering above her because, really, she’s more quiet than Alison is (usually), but, instead, she agrees just for the sake of giving into Alison’s plans quickly.  _

When Emily’s thoughts finally dissipate, she smiles and leans down to kiss the other girl’s forehead, earning a sleepy “Good morning.” Alison tilts her head, silently asking for a kiss to which Emily complies with another, newer smile. She pecks the blonde on the lips once, twice, three times, and reclaims her position from before once she’s finished.

It’s Alison’s turn to shift now, and she leans up on her elbow to pepper small kisses along Emily’s jawline while the sheet slightly falls down her shoulder, revealing her bare skin only covered by a skimpy bra. The brunette breathes out heavily and happily, tightening her arm around Alison’s back as the blonde creates more heat between them.

“Last night was fun,” Alison nips at Emily’s neck suddenly, smiling when she hears her girlfriend gasp. “We should do it again sometime.”

“No,” Emily chokes out with a small laugh, causing Alison to back up with wide, offended eyes.

“Well yes,” the brunette stumbles, “God, yes, but… I’m not supposed to━”

“Shh,” her lips are being kissed a second later, immediately deepening the kiss as she gently grips the back of Alison’s neck. 

She smiles at the sensation and knowledge that she gets to kiss Alison whenever she pleases, though the reality hasn’t fully set in just yet since they haven’t been dating for too,  _ too  _ long. Either way, it’s something she could  _ definitely  _ get used to, and, judging by the way a quiet moan falls from Alison’s mouth when the brunette’s nails drag along her skin, she could get used to it just as much.

“Emily,” her mother calls up the stairs, and Alison nearly falls off of the bed with wide eyes, “breakfast is ready when you want it.”

“Okay,” Emily calls back, shooting Alison a “what do we do now?” look.

Before the blonde can say anything, Mrs. Fields adds a smug “Alison, you’re welcome to come downstairs and eat with us, as well.”

Both girls look at each other with nervous eyes, and Alison can practically feel Emily shaking underneath her. It’s not that Mrs. Fields is scary, but she  _ does  _ possess that motherly stare that just flows right through you, especially when it’s matched with that “I’m disappointed in you” kind of punishing tone. 

So, without wasting any more time, Emily huffs out a curt “We better get downstairs” but her hand is snatched by Alison who tries to get a smile out of the girl. It works, especially when she bats her eyelashes in a way that never fails to make the brunette melt, and Emily smiles as much as she can given the current situation.

“Get dressed,” the brunette’s brown eyes widen as she looks down at Alison’s “sleepwear.”

“Do you think she…” Alison suddenly feels super nervous since they had fallen asleep in barely any clothing ━ not to mention the fact that they didn’t stop to lock the door before anything happened.

“I don’t know,” Emily runs a hand through her hair before she tugs on a pair of shorts and a tank top. “I thought I heard my door creak before but,” she shakes her head, “I don’t know.”

“She’s going to kill me, isn’t she?” comes Alison’s slight joke, though she feels way more nervous than she did last night when she was practically scaling the wall of Emily’s house.

“What happened to your confident ‘ _ You know she loves me. She’ll forgive us’ _ ? Alison, even  _ I  _ don’t think she’d be angry enough to kill you.”

“I don’t know,” she mumbles while stealing Emily’s Rosewood Sharks hoodie, making sure she looks at least somewhat presentable ━ and like she hadn’t just slept with the woman’s daughter after sneaking in sometime during the dead of night.

“We’ll both be fine. She already accepts our relationship, Ali. I’m sure she…  _ knows _ .”

Alison bites her lower lip as she looks away from Emily, trying to breathe as much as she can because she’s starting to feel super anxious and, well, she isn’t sure she’ll be able to make it through breakfast.

“If she’s  _ that  _ mad, she wouldn’t have even acknowledged the fact that you slept here. She would have cornered me and lectured me behind closed doors.”

“Maybe she wants to corner both of us.”

“Why are you so nervous, Ali? I want to know,” she approaches, taking the girl’s hands in her own as she intertwines their fingers between their bodies.

“Honestly, I have no idea. I just feel like I need to live up to her expectations, Em. I really want this to work out and, for that to happen, she needs to think I’m right for you, I guess.”

“That’s sweet, Ali, but even if she didn’t already love you, I wouldn’t care what she thinks. You  _ are  _ right for me,” she leans forward and presses a kiss to the side of Alison’s head, earning a smile from the blonde until Emily whispers, “Let’s go.”

She’s tugged through the doorway and down the stairs at a quick pace, but her feet begin to feel heavier with each and every step. Emily, on the other hand, has her own nervous tendencies, and her hand clasped with Alison’s begins to sweat slightly as she licks her lips so they don’t get chapped. They’re in the dining room a few seconds later, and Emily sees that her mother laid out an extensive (and delicious-looking) buffet for the three of them ━ since she knew that Alison was already over. Her mother, however, is nowhere to be found, and Emily almost wonders if the woman had gone out somewhere so she wouldn’t have to look them in the eyes. The young couple sits down next to each other, still feeling nervous as their gazes dart around the room while looking for the older woman.

“There you girls are,” Mrs. Fields walks in and they both feel their backs straighten out as if they’re already in trouble. “I hope you enjoy everything. It’s been a while since I’ve really cooked a big breakfast.”

Emily eyes her mother, eventually looking away because she doesn’t want to be rude even though she really wants to know what’s going through the woman’s head.

“Okay,” she breathes out as she sits across from the two, smiling at everything that’s on the table, “I think I did a pretty nice job, don’t you?”

Alison forces a smile and nods while Emily hums and looks at the food on the table.

“Girls,” her eyes dance between the two, and they look at her with nervous glances, “okay, fine. Let’s just address the elephant in the room, then maybe you’ll actually eat.”

The two girls on the other side of the table barely breathe, and Alison  _ really  _ wants to grab for Emily’s hand because, honestly, she actually  _ is  _ quite terrified that Mrs. Fields will ban her from coming over at all, or maybe she’ll ground Emily for the rest of the year ━ either way, it makes her super nervous.

“I know you stayed over last night, Alison, and I don’t even really  _ want  _ to know how you snuck into the house because Emily doesn’t know what my system is when it comes to fixing the front locks every night.”

The brunette sinks into her chair partially, and Alison bites her inner cheek.

“With that being said, Emily, I’m not happy that you broke our agreement.”

Alison wants to defend the other girl and tell Mrs. Fields that it’s at least ninety percent her fault (if not all of it), but she can’t find her voice, so she sits there and hopes that Emily isn’t upset that she hung her out to dry.

“ _ But _ ,” she continues, “I’m mostly upset because this devalues what I was going to give Alison whenever she next came to visit.”

The blonde glances at her girlfriend who wears an equally confused expression, then back to the woman who looks at them with a growing smile. Before either young girl can blink, Emily’s mother pulls out a silver key, reaching over the table so she can hand it to Alison who eyes the small piece of metal. When her blue eyes look up with a questioning head tilt, the woman smiles again.

“It’s a key to the house. I know you two haven’t exactly been  _ together  _ for all that long, but I know you girls have always been far closer than anyone else, so I trust you, Alison. Don’t prove me wrong,” she eyes Alison with a stern yet playful smile.

Meanwhile, Emily watches the encounter as if she’s stepped into some alternate universe, lips parted as her eyes dart from Alison, back to her mother.

“Oh,” the woman adds, “but  _ please  _ keep the sneaking around to a minimum. This is still fairly new to me.”

“Thank you so much,” Alison breathes out as she holds the key in her palm, almost like it’s some strange object that she’s never seen before; she’s touched by the gesture, honestly, and is having a hard time handling it.

“You’re welcome, sweetie.”

So, both Mrs. Fields and Alison begin to fill their plates and, eventually, so does Emily who is still having a hard time wrapping her head around everything. In the end, she’s happy that her mom is (apparently) letting them off with a slight “warning,” and she forces a smile before it grows into something more genuine. Throughout the rest of their breakfast, conversations flow between the three, and laughs are shared with minimal teasing involved ━ thankfully, both Emily and Alison think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Multi-chapter update: We're now three (or four) days away from the initial uploading date (depending on if you count today or not)! I'm still getting everything ready, but I'm pretty excited (yet a bit nervous, honestly). Anyone else excited?
> 
> One-shot update: I know I keep saying it, but my uploading for one-shots is going to slow down severely. I might even take a break. I just feel like I'm writing the same thing over and over again, and it messes with my head because I'm used to writing for multi-chapter stories so I'm like "Wait, didn't I just write this?" Nevertheless, I promise I'll be posting a one-shot on the multi-chapter publishing day so I can let you know that it's up.
> 
> Christmas story update: Finished the first chapter and, man, is it full of emotions and flashbacks and tension and care and━ I'm just really excited about it. I'll likely be uploading on the exact days within the story: December 22nd, 23rd, 24th, and 25th. If anything changes, I'll let you know.
> 
> As always, thanks for the comments/reviews/messages, and thanks for the love. I'll (hopefully) see you back on Wednesday for both another one-shot and my new story!


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Paige targets Alison while working at Rosewood High, and Emily doesn't take too kindly to it ━ Established Emison; Sometime after 7x10 ━ As requested.

“Are you sure that you’ll be okay, Ali? I know it’s super last-minute, but I’m sure that the school could find another teacher to cover the rest of your classes for the day,” Emily leans against the doorframe of Alison’s classroom, arms crossed as she looks at the blonde with sympathetic eyes.

Almost everyday, Alison has been finding vicious notes stuck into the cracks of her teaching desk, all folded neatly with scribbled handwriting as they’re sealed with small pieces of tape. At first, the blonde thought it was just an angry, irrational student upset about their grades (since she’s had  _ many  _ distracted students this year), but she’s received at least eight notes now, some detailing things that had happened before even disappearing as a teenager. Every time she opens a new note, her eyes dart around the room with fear, and, luckily, most times she’s alone in the classroom since it’s her free period. Other days, however, she’ll find the note stuck in a new crack an entire hour later, only to read it while the kids are studying as she tries to keep her tears in her eyelids.

She assumes that whoever-the-fuck it is keeps sneaking into her classroom during lunch when she’s in the teachers’ lounge to get her things or, occasionally, meet up with Emily, but, a time or two when she intentionally stayed in her classroom instead of going to lunch, no one tried entering. When she realized that it wasn’t a student due to the immensely personal information within the notes, her next thought was that it’s A.D. picking up a side hobby. It’s not like these notes are  _ threatening  _ anyone, necessarily, but they’re personal and she feels genuinely targeted due to the  _ “I bet you remember everything that happened to you”  _ lines and second-hand memories. Emily, on the other hand, believes it’s A.D., and she’s even discussed with the other girls.

_ “Guys, someone is fucking with Alison’s head at school,” she stresses as she looks between Spencer, Hanna, and Aria whose eyes dart back and forth between the frantic brunette and her girlfriend. _

_ “We know that, Em━” _

_ “It has to be A.D., right? I mean, it can’t be a student if they know this stuff,” Emily waves one of the notes around as she speaks animatedly.  _

_ “What do you think, Alison?” Hanna looks at the other blonde who stands quietly. “Do you think it’s A.D.?” _

_ Before Alison can get a word out, Aria interrupts with a small “Well it’s sort of fucked up either way. No matter who it is.” _

Alison takes a deep breath and steps forward, standing right in front of Emily who remains lingering in the doorway with a pouting lip. The blonde breathes out a laugh at the face, smiles, and peers into the hallway to make sure that no students are walking through the halls too early. When she sees that no one is around, she leans forward and kisses the brunette softly, shyly smiling once she backs up.

“I’ll be okay. I promise.”

“As long as you’re sure,” Emily sounds regretful.

“Are  _ you  _ going to be okay?” Alison jokes when she senses the other girl’s reluctance to actually walk away.

The brunette rolls her eyes with a small smile, “I’m just worried about you, that’s all. I don’t want anything happening if you get too stressed over this.”

“I know,” she leans forward and kisses the other girl again, backing up quickly when she sees a student exit a nearby classroom.

Emily snickers at the reaction, more so because she’s done the same exact things quite a few times whereas Alison has been more carefree ━ until recently.

“It’s not funny,” Alison grunts. “I feel like I’m a teenager again.”

“Teenage Alison would have  _ never  _ kissed me in public.”

“Don’t remind me,” she grunts like before, rolling her eyes at her past self.

Emily smirks and kisses the other girl again, afterwards sighing with an upset-sounding “I have to go. I’ll see you after practice.”

As she’s walking away, Alison raises an eyebrow, “Oh, so you  _ are  _ coming over?”

“Mhm,” she stops and turns around, “unless you have other plans…” her eyes narrow. 

When the blonde rolls her eyes and walks back into her classroom, Emily continues making her way towards the locker rooms so she can fix some things in her office before instructing a class and, later, practice. She pulls her phone out as she walks, already having a text from Alison which reads,  _ “Maybe I had plans to take you out later,”  _ with an inserted kissy face emoji, and the brunette smiles big at the device as she takes a turn down another hallway. Quickly, she types out a reply that says,  _ “And maybe I’ll take you up on that offer,”  _ as she makes one, final turn into the locker rooms, immediately colliding with Paige, A.K.A. Rosewood High’s assistant swim coach.

Emily offers a sharp “I’m so sorry” as Paige quickly gathers up the bundle of papers that she was previously holding, and the brunette snatches her phone from nearby, afterwards seeing a small, folded and taped piece of paper lying inches from the other girl’s scattered documents. Emily shifts her jaw, looking away before she stands up without helping Paige who huffs as she finally straightens her back out, afterwards flashing Emily a cheesy, forced smile. Emily’s expression is stone-like, and Paige’s eyes dart around the room in confusion.

“I’m sorry, did I do something?”

“I don’t know, Paige. Did you?” 

Paige breathes out a slight laugh, “What?”

Instead of answering verbally, Emily’s eyes drift down to the floor as she nods to the small note that lies near Paige’s foot. The other girl follows her line of sight, eventually looking at the small piece of paper for quite a bit and, without looking at Emily, she says, “That’s not mine.”

The tanned girl narrows her eyes and lifts her chin, letting out a dark laugh as Paige finally looks at her again. 

“Don’t lie to me, Paige. You and I both know that I’m so tired of secrets.”

“Oh, come on, Em,” Paige’s voice cracks. “They’re little notes. It’s a joke.”

“A joke?” her eyes widen and she shakes her head furiously, gaze never wavering as it bores into Paige, “no, they aren’t  _ jokes _ , Paige. I  _ just  _ told you what’s going on in our lives, and you pull this? You talk about Alison never changing, but at least she’s not sneaking dirty notes into your office just because she feels threatened by you.”

“I do  _ not _ feel threatened by Alison DiLaurentis, Emily. I lost that feeling a long time ago.”

“Then why are you dropping hate mail off at her classroom every day? Tell me. I want to know,” she crosses her arms.

“I told you! It’s a joke!” the other girl’s eyes widen as she laughs again, shrugging with the bundle of papers still in her hands.

“Alison does  _ not  _ need this right now,” Emily steps forward. “Not from you, not from anonymous texters, not from  _ anyone _ . She doesn’t deserve it, and, if you think that she really does, then I was wrong when I assumed that we both grew up.”

She starts to walk away after one final stare-down, but, when another thing comes to mind, she spins back around, tilts her head, and shifts her jaw as Paige stares at her with narrowed eyes and a frown.

“If I find out that you’ve decided to continue this little ‘joke’ or anything similar, I’ll be sure to file a report with Hackett.”

“Don’t you think the ‘I’m going to tell on you’ threats are a little childish, Em?” she still speaks as if the entire thing is funny, almost as if she’s trying to flirt with Emily after everything that’s been happening.

“I can assure you, Paige, it’s a promise, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep Alison safe and happy,” she keeps her expression angry while picking up the note, ripping it apart, and walking back into her coaching office where she throws the pieces into a nearby bin.

She watches the other girl walk out of the locker room with narrowed eyes, and Emily sits at her desk while rubbing at her eyelids. She should have known from the handwriting, even if it was scribbled, and her heart feels sore because a part of her past has been (in a way) torturing her girlfriend out of spite. It’s childish, no doubt, and the brunette feels like crying because she’s just so angry, but, instead, she pulls out her phone and texts Alison again, smiling softly as she does so:

_ “How about we stay home instead? Food, movies, and I’ll sleep over.” _

Immediately, she sees the other girl typing since she’s probably just sitting at her desk whilst grading papers, and Emily waits for the response:

_ “Are you trying to seduce me? Sounds perfect.” _

Another emoji is inserted into the text, this time a smirk, and the brunette rolls her eyes while chuckling. As she continues to text with Alison, her anger dissipates while she enjoys the rest of her break, even though she knows that she’ll have to face her assistant swim coach sometime within the next thirty minutes. She’ll get through it, luckily, and it has a lot to do with the fact that Alison has been able to keep her occupied so easily as of late, and vice versa; they’re almost polarizing, in a way, and that’s how their relationship has become so stable.

She swivels back and forth in her chair, biting her inner cheek as she thinks about what to do while waiting for her next class. Soon, however, her lips curve into a smile as she scrambles for a piece of paper and a pen, clicking the writing utensil once so she can write a not-so-secret note to Alison. This time, she thinks, the blonde is going to find a sweet, love-infused letter, and hopefully Alison realizes that she deserves compassion above anything else. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Multi-chapter update: Today is the day! The sun is shining (not really), my skin is clear (again, not really), and "January of 2011" is officially up (okay, that one's true). It's a short first chapter, but it's serving as the story's base so it wasn't intended to be long. For those of you who haven't already, go check it out! For those of you who have (no matter if you liked it or not), thank you. Next "January of 2011" update is on Friday.
> 
> One-shot update: Unfortunately, I only have one written one-shot left in my "arsenal of scenarios." I have a few more ideas penned, but I can't give you an exact date when I'll start writing them again. For now, I might be taking a break (like I've said previously), but I'll let you know. For now, "January of 2011" will be updated every week (and, even then, there won't be 7 days in-between each chapter because I'm impatient), and that's a promise.
> 
> Christmas story update: I have two chapters finished, bringing the word count to ~20K right now. Oh yeah, it's definitely lengthy, but I'm liking how it's come out so far.
> 
> Again, thank you for reading, and I'll post my last written one-shot sometime soon-ish, but, otherwise, follow my account or new multi-chapter if you want updates on what I'm doing.


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The five girls have a sleepover “like old times” (as per Hanna), and play Twister ━ Bonus: Alison finds out about Emily’s tattoo, and the couple gets teased by Spanna ━ Established Emison; Sometime after 7x10 ━ As requested.

“Whose bright idea was it to play Twister with Emily and Alison? They’re practically on top of each other and I can’t do anything aside from not falling on my ass,” Hanna grunts out as she tries to hold herself up, being partly tangled with both Emily and Alison.

Aria and Spencer sit nearby since the shorter brunette had lost the game within the first few minutes when she couldn’t reach across Hanna’s body ━ not that the blonde really helped when she practically kicked Aria’s hand out from underneath her. Spencer spins the dial, humming (and occasionally laughing), whenever she instructs what body part to put where.

“Um, if I recall correctly, it was  _ your  _ idea, Hanna,” Alison gets out with a slight laugh, though she feels like her hand is going to break off at any given second.

Aria snorts at the comment.

Really, it  _ was  _ Hanna’s idea ━ actually, the entire “just like old times” sleepover suggestion was hers ━ and she waltzed into Spencer’s barn with a Twister game box in hand while wearing the cheesiest, childlike smile.

_ “Are you kidding me right now?” Alison deadpans as she stares at the blonde who looks back at her with a devious grin. _

_ “No, I am most certainly not kidding you right now,” she explains as she walks into the living room. _

_ She begins spreading the mat out as the other girls talk amongst themselves. Emily watches Hanna with a raised eyebrow, and her eyes occasionally flicker to Alison because she has no idea what the rest of the night is going to include at this point. _

_ “Are you really expecting us to play━” Spencer starts, only to be cut off by Hanna who turns around with a pointed expression. _

_ “Yes, I am. We have to do some fun, idiotic things before Alison…” she trails off and Aria’s eyes widen, similarly to Emily’s.  _

_ Hanna briefly opens her mouth when she doesn’t know what to say, and Alison just laughs because of everyone’s similar reactions. _

_ “You mean… we have to do a bunch of things before I’m blown up like a balloon?” she finishes Hanna’s thought, arching a challenging eyebrow that practically says “lie to me, I dare you.” _

_ “No,” Hanna looks around the room, squinting when she tries to get herself out of the conversation cleanly, “I meant that we have to do fun things before you get all moody and want to be in bed all the time.” _

_ “And that’s different from every other day…?” Emily mutters while rubbing her head, looking away from Alison whose eyes widen.  _

_ Spencer and Aria try to contain their slight laughter, afterwards shrugging with a round of okay’s to Hanna who continues to spread out the Twister board. _

“Left hand on yellow,” Spencer takes a sip of her drink, though she smirks over the rim because the directions are going to make Hanna reach beneath both Emily and Alison.

“Are you fucking kidding me?”

Again, Aria laughs at the reaction.

“Karma for making us play this dumb game,” Emily shifts her hand.

“It is  _ not  _ a dumb game,” Hanna offers the rebuttal. “It’s a classic.”

“Hey, if it was summertime, we could have broken out the water version of Twister,” Aria shrugs as she leans back in her chair.

“No way,” comes Hanna’s next response as she shakes her head. “I would  _ not  _ like to see these two on a Twister water mat. No thank you.”

“God, you’re so lucky I don’t have a free hand to slap you right now,” Alison grits her teeth.

“She’s right, though,” Spencer comments as she spins the dial again.

“Why do you always have to take her side? You used to be the complete opposite,” Emily squeaks out.

“Yeah, but then you two started dating and we needed to even-out the playing field,” Hanna explains.

“Well, what about Aria?” the other blonde asks.

“Aria is on no one’s side, thank you very much,” the brunette in question speaks up, afterwards taking a sip of her drink.

Spencer snorts at the next direction, “Right foot green.”

“How am I supposed to do that?” Emily chokes out with a slight laugh, and she hears Hanna giggling because that’s an easy transition for her.

Alison goes first, having been closer to Emily, and Hanna shifts her position on the further side of the mat. Once both blondes are situated, Emily moves with a grunt, successfully ending up in the position she’s supposed to be even though it’s  _ extremely  _ uncomfortable. Alison is behind her (and almost on top of her), while Emily’s lower stomach is exposed when her shirt rides up.

“Em,” Aria calls softly, eyes squinted with a growing, scandalous smile.

“Hm?” the hum is short as she waits for the next instruction.

“When did you get a tattoo?” 

“What?” Alison chokes out as she falls onto her ass, somehow knocking Emily down in the process once her arm gets locked with the brunette’s.

“Yes!” Hanna throws herself onto her back, slightly dancing because she’s won the game.

Emily sits on the floor, somewhere beside the Twister mat, and her lips stay parted as four pairs of expectant eyes stare at her.

“Um,” her eyes widen as she looks at the floor, briefly thinking about the entire experience, “a while ago. Before we left Rosewood,” she shakes her head. “Before Charlotte was revealed, actually.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Alison is partly smiling but she also looks like she’s surprised that Emily hadn’t told her ━ or  _ shown  _ her.

“Wait, no,” Hanna shakes her head, afterwards looking at the other blonde, “how did you not know?”

Neither girl answers. Instead, they both look away from everyone.

“Have you two not…?” the same girl makes an obnoxious gesture.

“Ew, Han,” Aria laughs.

Alison blushes furiously ━ something that she rarely does when being teased by her friends ━ and Hanna’s jaw drops as if she just found out an oh-so-shocking piece of information.

“You’re lying,” she continues with a growing, amused smile.

The other blonde tries to hide her embarrassed look, and she makes sure not to face the others who stare back at both her and Emily.

“Wow, Ali, I’ve never seen you blush so hard,” Spencer teases.

“Aw, leave her alone,” Aria tries to pout at Hanna and Spencer but she, herself, is also smiling at the reaction.

“Back to the initial topic.  _ Why  _ haven’t you two done it?!” Hanna squeaks out. “I know that, if it was up to Emily, you’d━”

“ _ Okay _ , and we’re not discussing this,” Emily offers a tight-lipped smile.

“You’re stuck with us for the rest of the night, so you better get used to it because I won’t be satisfied until I have an answer.”

“You won’t be satisfied  _ with  _ an answer,” Alison raises an eyebrow.

“Ew, I totally don’t need to hear this,” Spencer shakes her head and takes a long sip of her drink.

“Same,” Aria comments.

“You two are wimps,” Hanna taunts.

“Why do you want to hear about their potential sex life so bad?” Spencer throws the question at Hanna whose smile falls a fraction.

“Yeah, Hanna,” Alison bats her eyelashes with a bitter smile.

“Maybe I have a thing for Emily,” the other blonde throws out, earning a frown from Alison.

“Don’t,” comes Emily’s amused yet nervous whisper as she shakes her head.

“I’d be careful, Hanna,” Alison sings. “You’re stuck with us for the rest of the night,” she mocks.

Hanna hums in response, afterwards sticking her tongue out. Aria and Spencer sit nearby, eventually discussing something that happened during the day. As Hanna does her own thing while she taps away on her phone, Alison leans over to Emily and whispers, “I better get to see that tattoo up close,” and the brunette blushes severely.

Throughout the rest of their sleepover, the girls share stories while teasing comments are thrown at Emily and Alison who, in response, groan or just accept the words. Nevertheless, they have a great time, especially because, lately, they’ve missed the random “hangout sessions” that they used to have almost everyday. It’s unfortunate, they all think, that they’ve drifted apart in a variety of different ways, but, soon, they hope to have more of these get-togethers so they can grow back together ━ even if Emily and Alison have to pay the price of extreme taunting. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have one more one-shot written and ready to go. I'm not sure when I'll be posting it, but, in the meantime, I'll be updating "January of 2011" according to my schedule (and, yes, I have an actual schedule). After that, we'll play it by year.
> 
> I'd like to remind everyone that I have a "PLL comes back April 18th" countdown going on my Tumblr page, just in case anyone wants to see how long we have until Emison is back on our screens. You don't need to follow me, but it's always there if you'd like to check it out; "capn-charlie" on Tumblr.
> 
> Thank you again for supporting me through reading my works (and reviewing). I'm still working on earning my Creative Writing degree (which I should be obtaining sometime next year), so every ounce of support, commenting, and/or critiquing helps me find my own writing personality, and it helps me figure out what I should be working on to get better.


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ch 17 continuation; (Alison has a little boy who looks just like Emily) ━ As requested.

Two blondes sit in the confines of a Rosewood restaurant, having been seated fifteen minutes ago. They’ve made meaningless chit-chat since then, bringing up random things that had happened within the last week or whenever else. Really, they’ve missed each other, especially since Alison has been busy taking care of her new baby boy ━ of course, with the help of Emily who is currently watching him as Hanna and Alison “bond.”

Alison’s phone buzzes in the purse next to her, and she pulls the device out to see a picture from said brunette. She smiles at the picture, shaking her head as she sees a silly picture of Emily and their little boy with his tongue sticking out. Obviously, Emily is mimicking the face, and Alison rolls her eyes.

“What?” Hanna looks amused by Alison’s expression.

Without responding, the other blonde hands her the phone, and Hanna breathes out a laugh as she studies the photo, soon shaking her head in disbelief.

It’s Alison’s turn to ask “What?” with a confused face, and Hanna smiles again before speaking.

"He still looks  _ so  _ much like Em," her eyes widen as she holds Alison's phone, studying the picture of Emily with the six-month old baby.

She smirks and continues, "All he needs is a plaid button-up and he's good to go."

Alison snatches her phone back with a slight laugh and eye-roll.

"Emily already bought him one," she shakes her head as she pushes her phone back into the purse resting next to her.

"Don't act like you don't love it," Hanna narrows her eyes with a knowing smile.

Alison blushes when she thinks back on the last few months. They were rocky at the beginning, that's for sure, and she's more than lucky that Emily was there because, honestly, if she wasn’t, Alison would've ended up back in Welby during the first month after having their little boy. Thankfully, the newborn baby took a liking to the brunette immediately, and he instantly calmed down whenever she held him for longer than five minutes ━ as opposed to crying while Alison cradled him for an entire hour. There have been countless nights when the blonde has woken up to wailing from the guest bedroom ━ now known as the nursery ━ only to be kissed on the head by Emily who says,  _ "I'll take care of him. Go back to sleep." _

Another time, Alison had a late-night open-house meeting at Rosewood High, and she’d come home to see Emily resting on the couch with the baby lying on top of her, everything else covered in pillows as her body was turned just enough so the kid stayed balanced. The blonde smiled at the sight, immediately (and quietly) walking over so she could kiss them both without disturbing anyone.

Additionally, Emily has calmed Alison down on multiple occasions when the blonde cried that her own baby didn't like her. At the time (and even now), Alison knew it was a stupid thing to fuss about, and she realized that most new mothers likely claim the same thing, but she couldn't help it since the kid whines every time she tries to show him love ━ and it doesn't help that he's so cuddly when Emily's around. In the end, however, she put herself at ease because she realized that at least he has Emily to keep him content ━ and so does she.

That's another thing that's been going smoothly: their entire relationship. Overall, Alison thinks that this experience has strengthened them more as individuals  _ and  _ as a couple. They're practically married nowadays, and their home-life has been great. They've even gone out on a few dates while Hanna watched their little boy, only to come home to find him fast asleep with a smiling Hanna standing in the doorway with an overall expression that said "did you have a nice time?" with a hint of "am I good, or what?" Obviously, they thanked her each time while she gave them the  _ "You owe me one"  _ lecture, and they went upstairs to end the night on a steamy note. Every time, Emily takes her time with Alison, making sure to love her correctly in every aspect because (obviously) they haven't had that much alone time ━ unless you count the multiple times when they've successfully gone a round or two within a  _ very  _ short period of time.

On the other hand, Alison is genuinely surprised at how energetic Emily has been, given the whole "waking up thirty times per night" concept, but she's never questioned it because, well, she's happy to spend every moment she can with the brunette. 

"So, have you thought about it?" Hanna sips her drink through a straw, eyeing Alison who seems to snap back into reality after a few minutes of silence.

"Sorry, what?" she raises her eyebrows.

"I asked if you thought about it."

"Thought about what?"

"Jeez, Alison, if I wanted to go on a solo lunch date, I would have," her eyes widen because she's been talking for the last five minutes whereas the blonde seated across from her has been off in her own world.

"I'm sorry," Alison sighs out, "I got... distracted."

"Stop thinking about Emily."

"Fine," she huffs, "what were you talking about?"

"Emily."

Alison snorts at the other girl's face, "Okay... what about her?"

"Have you two discussed...?" Hanna makes a motion with her hand, pretending to slide a ring onto her finger.

"Stop, stop, stop," Alison tries not to laugh too hard, "that looks so wrong, Hanna. We're in public.”

"It only looks wrong because your mind is filthy!"

"That motion doesn't even apply to my relationship, Hanna," she laughs again.

"Technically━"

"No."

“Fine, but at least answer me.”

“I don’t know, Hanna,” Alison shakes her head. “Marriage is the furthest from my mind, right now.”

“Oh, bullshit,” the other girl leans forward. “Don’t lie to me, Alison. I know you’d love to marry Em.

“Well  _ obviously  _ I would, but now?” her eyes widen. “Hanna, we’ve been together for━”

“You’ve loved each other for much longer,” she waves a finger when she doesn’t want to hear any excuses having to do with timing.

“If I’m being honest, sure, fine,” Alison relents. “I’ve hinted at it, and I’d gladly accept if I was faced with the question, but otherwise I don’t know.”

“ _ Okay _ , but Emily has never picked up on hints, and you know that,” Hanna deadpans.

“Maybe she should learn, then.”

“This is not the time to be stubborn, Ali,” she shakes her head with a flat expression. “Why don’t you just…” her voice trails off, and the blonde seated across from her nearly chokes on the drink she'd been sipping.

“You mean…” her voice grows quiet, “you think I should…” and her eyes widen while her lips tremble because she… can’t even  _ think  _ about doing that.

“Why not?” Hanna shrugs. “You’re more straightforward than she is.”

“Why are you so hellbent on us getting married, anyways? Before, you didn’t seem to really━”

“I swear, you and Emily share the same thoughts and it’s getting  _ really  _ creepy,” Hanna raises her hands as if she touched something disgusting. “She asked the same exact thing.”

“Oh, so you’ve been discussing this with her, as well?” 

Hanna wants to roll her eyes at her own stupidity so much, but she keeps a straight face as she tries to think of a way to get out of the conversation.

“Of course I have,” she plays it off as if it’s obvious. “I wanted to know what she thought about it.”

“ _ And _ ?” 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Hanna smirks, afterwards sipping her drink again.

Alison shifts her jaw as she looks at the other girl with a “seriously?” kind of expression, eventually rolling her eyes as she relaxes into the back of her seat. Hanna offers her a conniving smile, afterwards bouncing her eyebrows up and down so Alison laughs, but the girl keeps a stone-like face as she raises an eyebrow expectantly, eventually playing with her hands on top of the table in a nervous manner.

“Oh, come on, Ali,” she grunts. “Even if she had told me anything substantial, why would I say something to you? I’m not  _ that much  _ of a big-mouth.”

“You’re a real piece of work, you know that?” Alison breathes out a laugh, shaking her head as she looks down again.

“Well, this piece of work is going to, one way or another, make you two get married,” Hanna speaks animatedly, “so you might as well start thanking me now.”

“Why would I thank you?”

“Because I can see how much you’d love for that to happen.”

“What makes you say that?” she seems amused as she tilts her head to the side.

“Because I know the fact that Emily’s talked to me about marriage is wracking your brain, especially because you’ve looked down at your ring finger at least three times since I mentioned it.”

Alison can feel her cheeks warming up, so she looks away forcefully from Hanna who grins in success. Really, Alison just wants to reach across the table and rip the expression off of the girl’s face because she looks oh-so-smug, but, within seconds, she changes the conversation. On the other hand, her mind can’t escape the topic, and, as they continue to talk about whatever throughout the rest of their lunch date, Alison remains thinking about the idea of marriage, resulting in a constant butterfly-feeling in her stomach. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obviously, as you can see, I don't enjoy picking names for children, therefore I chose not to ruin the one-shot with a lame name.
> 
> I hope everyone's having a nice day/night/etc.


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison answers Emily's phone, only to find that it's one of the girl's exes from California ━ Sometime after 7x10 ━ As requested.

“Damn it,” Alison rubs at her forehead as she sits on the edge of her bed, “I forgot my water downstairs.”

She goes to get up with an exhausted groan, only to draw a chuckle from Emily who stands in the doorway. 

“Get comfy, Ali,” Emily speaks sweetly. “I’ll get it for you.”

“Em, you don’t━”

“Where is it?” she’s not about to argue about a simple trip down the stairs just because the blonde doesn’t feel like letting anyone really help her nowadays ━ though she’s forced Alison into complying pretty damn often.

Alison stares for a moment before relenting, “Somewhere in the kitchen. I don’t remember.”

“Okay,” the brunette offers a small smile, “I’ll be right back.”

Once Emily disappears, the other girl chews her bottom lip as she pushes herself off of the bed again, afterwards rounding the piece of furniture so she can get the covers ready to sleep in. It’s currently 11:58 P.M., and they’ve both been awake for an excruciating amount of hours because she hasn’t felt all that well in a few days; really, Alison’s felt like complete roadkill, and Emily has never left her side unless it’s specifically  _ for  _ the blonde’s benefit. The brunette has even slept with the other girl every night, mostly because Alison had once hinted at the fact that she feels better when being held, and Emily took the hint right away. 

Throughout the last few days, the brunette has made Alison smile time and time again, but their relationship has, seemingly, come to a slight standstill. Although Alison  _ wants  _ to talk about things, they haven’t had time and, honestly, she would rather lay her cards on the table when she’s feeling totally healthy and up to the task. It’s not that the conversation would likely be rough (actually, she has no idea), but it’s not something she’d choose to discuss while feeling nauseas.

Suddenly, the brunette’s cell phone begins ringing on her designated bedside table, and Alison’s eyes narrow when she remembers that it’s pretty damn late for casual phone calls. So, as she approaches the device while wondering if it’s an A.D. recording or whatever-other gift from hell, she sees the number begin with area code “ _ 310 _ ”, and her thumb hovers over the green phone as she wonders whether or not she should answer the call, just in case it’s something important regarding Emily’s old university. 

It really doesn’t take long for her to answer, and she raises the device to her ear as she gets out a small “Hello?”

Loud laughing comes through the speaker, sounding like a bunch of rowdy college girls having some kind of party in the background. Alison can hear someone closer to the phone, laughing as she shouts something to another person nearby, and she imagines that this girl only partially covered the phone in order to throw her voice further away because she has to pull Emily’s phone away from her ear in order to focus.

“Hello?” she repeats, losing patience.

_ “Emily?” _ the girl sounds like she’s smiling heavily.

“No,” is Alison’s only answer at first. “Who’s this?”

_ “Sophia. Em, don’t pretend like you don’t remember me. It hasn’t been that long,” _ she giggles into the phone as if the entire situation is comical, but the blonde’s eyes narrow as she purses her lips.

“I’m not━”

_ “Emmm,”  _ the girl’s voice drawls in a whiny tone,  _ “I miss you so much. Don’t you miss me?” _

“This isn’t Emily.”

_ “This is her number though. Who are you?” _

“Alison.”

The girl on the other end of the line must have pulled the phone away from her mouth because Alison suddenly hears her name whispered, followed by a round of curt laughs from a few people in the room with the girl. Music booms in the background, slightly drown out by people yelling further away from the phone.

_ “Well, Alison,”  _ she laughs again, and Alison wants to reach through the phone and deck this girl because, apparently, everything is funny to her,  _ “can you give Emily a message for me?” _

“I don’t think━”

_ “Tell her that, if she misses me, then she better come back here soon because we have unfinished business and I won’t wait forever.” _

Alison clenches her jaw and looks at her free hand, only to see that it’s gripping the comforter furiously as she leans against the edge of Emily’s side of the bed. Her eyes dart around the room, and, instead of responding to the girl, she hangs up while tossing the phone onto the mattress next to her. She rubs at her eyes while trying to breathe, more so because she feels such a large amount of jealousy while a slight tinge of betrayal nips at her chest. She has no idea why she feels as though Emily’s gone behind her back because, for all she knows, this girl could be talking about what happened years ago ━ not to mention the fact that they aren’t together, so why should she care? ━ but it doesn’t hurt any less.

Emily enters the room with two glasses of water, and she puts one down on Alison’s bedside table before moving over to her own, passing Alison who sits silently on the comforter. The brunette breathes out a small “Okay” before she turns to the other girl, glancing at her phone which rests next to Alison.

“ _ There’s _ my phone,” Emily speaks as if she’d lost it. “I was looking everywhere for it downstairs.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Alison clears her throat, “I brought it up when we were getting ready for bed.”

“Thank you,” she smiles.

Silence consumes the room quickly, and Alison feels as though she’s suffocating as she remains sitting. Emily walks around while figuring out if she’s done everything needed before bed, soon turning back to the blonde.

“Are you ready for bed, or…?”

“Someone called your cell phone while you were downstairs,” Alison shakes her head suddenly, not bothering to answer the other girl’s question, “I’m sorry… I don’t know why I answered it. I━I just saw the Malibu area code and didn’t want you to miss it if it was something important. I━”

“Ali, relax,” Emily breathes out through a smile. “I’m not upset.”

The blonde purses her lips and looks away, feeling conflicted. Off the expression, Emily’s smile falls flat and turns into an actual frown as she stares at Alison who blatantly avoids making eye contact.

“Are you okay?” her expression is sympathetic now, especially when Alison looks at her hands while trying to force a smile.

“Who’s Sophia?”

Emily’s eyes slam shut and she looks down, not knowing how to explain that the girl’s an old flame without ruining their entire night while Alison  _ already  _ feels under the weather. Really, she doesn’t know if Alison will react badly to the information since they haven’t discussed their accidental kiss on the couch (or the other few “accidental” kisses after that), but Emily can pen a guess that the girl won’t be happy with the memories.

“We used to have a thing,” she speaks as if she’s talking to the floor, not too keen on lying to Alison because there’s just no point.

“ _ Used to _ ?” Alison looks hurt ━ not so much jealous.

“Yeah,” her brown eyes finally lock with the blonde’s, narrowed slightly as she listens to the pained (and partially betrayed) tone in Alison’s voice.

Alison doesn’t respond. Instead, she looks as if she’s thinking long and hard about things, visibly shielded in a manner that Emily hates seeing when it’s just the two of them.

“What’s going on, Ali?”

“She just…” the girl takes a deep breath, shaking her head. “She called, and I don’t know, honestly. She made it sound as if you two have been talking semi-recently. I think she was drunk, but…” she shrugs.

“I promise, it was a  _ long  _ time ago. It wasn’t even a real thing. We just…” Emily’s voice trails off when she realizes that the other girl likely doesn’t want to hear about her past flings and their specifics.

Alison shifts her jaw, now looking much more jealous and a bit less hurt. Emily sits next to Alison on the bed, facing the blonde who still looks as if she’s conflicted. They sit awkwardly for a few moments, not knowing what else to say because neither girl knows what this means, but they both feel as though they’re  _ together  _ ━ even if they haven’t defined anything, nor spoken about what they are. Currently, they sit along that thin line, not knowing whether they’re crushes or lovers, and neither Emily nor Alison wants to make the first move ━ but the brunette does.

“There’s a reason why her number isn’t saved in my phone, Ali. I don’t want her in my life, and she’s not relevant.”

“But she obviously has  _ your  _ number, and she clearly still wants you.”

“Maybe,” Emily shrugs, afterwards taking in a deep breath as she timidly continues, “but she’s not the one who  _ I  _ want.”

Alison looks at her out of the corner of her eye, not wanting to completely face Emily because she feels like a teenager again when nerves and butterflies begin to consume her insides. Emily, likewise, feels a bundle of nerves and shyness attack her stomach, chest, and throat, but she doesn’t try to change the subject like usual; she’s sick of dancing around the question, and apparently so is Alison because, next, she speaks quietly.

“Who do you want?”

Emily looks at her and a slight blush covers her cheeks, more so because she remembers their first Kissing Rock conversation and the way the blonde’s eyes lit up with knowledge after asking the brunette,  _ “Who do you want to take there?” _ Alison remembers the same thing, breathing out a small laugh as she continues to play with her hands.

When neither girl speaks again, Alison rubs her lips together and becomes insanely nervous, slightly shifting on the mattress as she moves closer to Emily who sits next to her at a slight angle. The brunette swallows hard as she side-eyes the other girl, not knowing what to do whenever she gets closer. Alison wants to roll her eyes at herself, more so because she’s not being subtle whatsoever, but she turns her body within seconds, reaching over to cup Emily’s cheek as she brings her closer so they can kiss. She isn’t sure where the sudden boldness (or even the idea, in general) came from, but their lips are moving against each other seconds later, and Emily leans further into the kiss so Alison doesn’t end up falling into her lap.

Alison tries to stop herself from smiling but can’t, and she has to put an inch of distance between their mouths as she tries to gather herself for a brief moment. Before she allows herself to lean back in, however, her smile turns into a soft smirk as Emily’s eyes flicker open.

“I want you too, Em.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jealous/insecure Alison is always a fav. (Is that horrible to say?)
> 
> Still working on this Christmas story. Finishing Ch 4 soon. It'll likely end up being ~35K words, and I'll let you know when I'm releasing it once I set a secure date (and the notification will likely be in the ending author's note of "January of 2011", so you should follow, *hint hint*).
> 
> I'm not having the best day, but I enjoy your comments, so I figured I'd post this. Thanks for looking.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily uses the sappy nature of Valentine’s Day to confront Alison with her feelings ━ Sometime after 7x10.

Emily lingers in the dimly-lit living room within the DiLaurentis’ house, nerves clenching her throat and chest as she waits for Alison to return home after a day of teaching at Rosewood High. Unlike most days, the brunette mentally decided that she was going to leave school first, mostly because it’s Valentine’s Day ━ though she’s ignored the “holiday” for as long as she can remember ━ and she’s determined to make it special for the girl who’s been nothing short of a girlfriend as of late ━ even though they haven’t officially labeled anything. In fact, they haven’t really spoken about what they want to be and/or how they feel, but Emily knows that it’s time to take a giant leap of faith ━ with a little (or  _ huge _ ) push from none other than Hanna.

_ “Emily-fucking-Fields,” Hanna gets out as one word, an expectant yet annoyed look written across her features as she follows the brunette through Lucas’ loft, arms wide. _

_ Emily turns around to face the other girl, sighing heavily. _

_ “You can’t just sit back and wait for Alison to make a move,” she begins to rant. “Don’t you realize that both of you have been waiting for years? It’s absolutely ridiculous! You’re both stubborn as hell. Honestly, we always thought that Alison was the stubborn one but, holy shit, you’ve become like… three times as bad,” her eyes widen and Emily walks away. _

_ “Stop walking away from me!” she continues and the brunette turns around again, arms crossed. “You know I’m right, and you know that Alison is waiting for you to make a move because she’s too much of a chicken to.” _

_ “That’s not true,” Emily shakes her head. “She initiated the kiss a few weeks ago. She could make the first move again. Actually, she has done it again. Multiple times.” _

_ “Then get your head out of your ass and do something,” Hanna groans and Emily rolls her eyes. _

_ “Just curious… did you spend a few hours at The Brew today?” the brunette eyes the girl in front of her, earning a sheepish lip-bite as Hanna looks away. _

_ “Sabrina gave me some free, new espresso samples,” she mumbles and Emily shakes her head with a huff, ignoring the mention of her ex-girlfriend. “But that’s not the point, Em. You’ve been waiting for Alison to want you for… how long now?” _

_ “That’s not━” _

_ “Don’t try denying it or I swear to God,” Hanna warns, earning a relenting facade as Emily sits down on the couch behind her. _

_ “Fine, you’re right,” she admits. “I’ll… think of something.” _

Well, here’s her something: standing in Alison’s living room whilst holding a rose on Valentine’s Day and, God, could she be any more cliché? She rolls her eyes at the entire thing, especially because, earlier, she had already surprised the blonde teacher with a cute note that she stuck in the drawer of her desk, earning a knowing text from Alison during third period which read,  _ “I guess sappy Valentine’s Day cards aren’t only for young students.”  _ Emily smiled at the time, particularly when the other girl sent her a lone, kissy face emoji only minutes later.

For weeks, they’ve been in some sort of complex situation where they kiss repeatedly ━ not to mention make out like lovestruck teenagers constantly ━ but never discuss anything. Well, actually, scratch that; they talk about things such as going on dates, dance around the fact that they practically live with one another, and hold cute, meaningless conversations about what they could do together in the far future. It’s nice, Emily thinks, because they’ve seemed to evolve, in a way, but she’d be lying if she said she doesn’t want more ━  _ including  _ a label.

As the brunette absentmindedly stares at the floor beneath her feet, she hears Alison’s car pull up and, soon, footsteps walk along the front porch until a key is pressed into the lock and Emily’s heart nearly stops. She takes a deep breath while the door creaks open to reveal Alison who wears a cautious yet pleasantly surprised face, lips parted before a laugh comes out when she sees the brunette’s cheeky, nervous smile and a rose in her hands.

Alison puts her keys and bag on a nearby table, afterwards standing a few feet away from Emily who remains lingering in the same spot, hands practically shaking as she holds onto the rose with a now-softer smile. The blonde puts her hands on her hips and tilts her head to the side, eyes narrowed with an ever-growing grin crossing her mouth.

“And here I was thinking that I’d only get an adorable card,” she raises her eyebrows and Emily chuckles.

“Too much?” comes the brunette’s slight, half-assed worry.

“Not at all,” they both smile.

Emily timidly reaches out and delicately places the rose between Alison’s fingers, afterwards taking a few, careful steps forward. Blue eyes look at her before they narrow in a partial, “what are you up to?” smirk, being answered with a small, barely-noticeable, lingering peck to the lips that she melts into even though it’s over within seconds.

“I’m sorry,” Alison gets out a tiny laugh as she looks down, “am I on the new season of The Bachelorette?”

“Mm, not quite,” Emily tilts her head with a childlike smile. “You don’t have any competition.”

“And why’s that?” the blonde playfully rolls her eyes but goes along with it.

“Because you’ve already won my heart,” she beams before they both laugh at the line. 

“God,” Alison breathes out, “Valentine’s Day  _ definitely  _ brings out your cheesiness.”

“Hey, I have to make it special somehow.”

“You already have,” after another three seconds, she steps forward and connects their lips again, smiling hard against Emily’s mouth. 

The brunette, upon sensing the other girl’s happiness, slides her hands upward so she can cup Alison’s jaw, deepening the kiss as they stand near the front door. Meanwhile, Alison’s hands grip at Emily’s shirt, though she manages to keep a firm grasp on the rose while pressing her body further against the brunette’s.

Minutes pass before the elongated kiss trails off into multiple, smile-disrupted pecks. Alison eventually backs up and bites her own lower lip, staring into brown eyes that swirl with something that’s captivated yet comforted her for weeks now. When Emily doesn’t attempt to speak again and, really, neither of them take the time to blink and interrupt eye contact, Alison takes it upon herself to break the mounting tension.

“So,” she smiles and takes a step back to regain some level-headedness, “anything else planned for our night together? That is… if you aren’t leaving,” she narrows her eyes in a way that says it’s more of a statement than a question.

Emily nods, “Mhm, I already placed an order for Chinese food at your favorite place down the road.”

“Hm,” Alison squints and seals her lips in faux thought, “cheesy gestures, a rose,  _ and  _ my favorite Chinese food.”

The brunette furrows her eyebrows in confusion as the other girl looks at her again, a new, knowing smile appearing.

She continues, “I think you’re using Valentine’s Day as a smokescreen for what you’ve wanted to do for a while but, because it’s naturally a sappy holiday, you finally found your chance.”

Emily swallows hard but manages to breathe out a soft, admitting “Okay” with the same nervous grin as before, “so what?”

“Is there anything you’d like to tell me?” Alison challenges with a cunning smirk that turns lighter once she regains their close proximity from minutes prior. “Anything… you’ve been afraid to?”

“Yes,” is all Emily can whisper, feeling put on the spot by the girl who raises her eyebrows expectantly.

“I’m waiting,” Alison’s smirk becomes more prominent and she bats her eyelashes when she sees the brunette’s struggle.

“I, um…” she trails off. “We’ve been…”

Emily looks away and clears her throat before trying again, “I want━”

“I want to be with you too,” the blonde interrupts when the other girl continues to fumble over her words.

“You…” like before, her voice fades and she can barely get anything out, earning a small laugh from Alison who nods.

“I think it’d be nice,” Alison explains. “You know, being an actual  _ couple  _ instead of just… acting like it.”

“You really want that?”

“You don’t?” 

“I’d love that,” Emily speaks honestly. “I just didn’t know…”

“I think we both kept our mouths shut because we were nervous about one thing or another, but I don’t want to keep to myself anymore. I want to let myself be happy.”

“With me?” the brunette narrows her eyes with a smile.

“ _ Always _ with you,” Alison matches it.

“I think I’m starting to take a liking to Valentine’s Day a little more,” Emily shuffles closer, earning a raised eyebrow from the blonde who chuckles.

“Really? I couldn’t tell,” the brunette rolls her eyes at the comment but, soon, leans in and kisses Alison again.

“Mm,” Emily hums into the kiss before backing up a fraction, “if Hanna asks… I made the first move.”

“I don’t recall you making any moves,” the blonde teases.

“Please,” comes the slight whine. “You have no idea how much she’s been on my case.”

“Well, maybe you should’ve done something about it sooner,” she dares.

“I know, I know,” Emily laughs, “ _ but _ , in my defense, I wasn’t sure if you wanted to be with me.”

“Em, I don’t normally kiss people every single day solely because I feel like it.”

The other girl looks around the room, feeling somewhat silly because Alison’s right and, yeah, it  _ has  _ been obvious that they’ve wanted each other. When the blonde notices the tinge of quiet nature in Emily’s body language, she kisses her on the lips once before backing up, swallowing hard, and whispering, “I kiss you every day because I love you.”

Those three words catch Emily off-guard but she doesn’t show it on the outside. Instead, she smiles, studies Alison’s nervous expression, and leans in to kiss the girl harder than previously, mumbling “I love you too” against her mouth until they leave no room for any further talking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Goes back into hiding*
> 
> Just kidding. I miss uploading and it's only been *checks calendar* three days since I posted the epilogue chapter of "January of 2011." I wrote this one-shot yesterday as a spur-the-moment thing because I'm a cheese-ball and find the "fake holiday" Valentine's Day to be warm even though I'm alone for 99% of V-Days. So, enjoy yourselves.
> 
> Multi-chapter update: Halfway finished with writing Ch 19 and I'm loving it (not to sound too confident). For those of you who haven't read any works of mine recently, just a heads up: I'm almost finished (as you can see) writing a new multi-chapter. It's a mostly-AU story, similar to "Tattooed Memories & Hidden Stories", basically with the five girls having been best friends in high school, however their friend group split sometime during those four years. I added a lot of funny/entertaining aspects to it but, yes, there is inevitable drama (I say as I giggle darkly). The official summary is this: "[AU] After drifting apart during high school, Emily and Alison reluctantly re-meet and drunkenly get themselves into a sticky situation six years later. Too defiant to fix what happened, the two girls fight to gain the upper hand as they fall into a game of "let's see who submits first" ━ that is… until old feelings catch up to them."
> 
> I'm aiming to post the story on March 12th but I'll let you know if that changes. Either way, I'll likely be coming up with another one-shot to post around then so I can let ya'll know when I've posted the new multi-chapter story. As of right now, I'm not taking prompts, but I have some ideas of my own that I'd like to complete so we'll see.
> 
> Have a nice Valentine's Day or just a normal Tuesday if you have something against the date. I'll see you after the next one-shot posting. In the meantime, message me on here or at "capn-charlie" on Tumblr if you have something to say/ask.


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The four girls stay at the hospital while waiting for word on Spencer's recovery ━ Minutes after 7x10's ending.

Hanna paces back and forth throughout the hospital’s waiting room, every chair being empty aside from where Alison and Aria sit next to one another, simply staring at the girl who hasn’t stayed still for longer than two seconds about five minutes ago ━ A.K.A. eight minutes after Emily left the three to check on Spencer’s current condition.

The frantic girl bites her thumbnail as she walks, Aria has her head in her hand while slowly texting with the other, and Alison hugs her stomach while staring down the hallway where Emily disappeared previously.

“God, what’s taking her so long?” Hanna finally speaks, worried laced in her voice. “Do you think Spencer━”

“Don’t… say that, Hanna,” Aria warns as she slides her phone into her purse.

“We shouldn’t have went there,” the same blonde shakes her head and continues to pace. “What were we thinking?”

“The same thing we’re always thinking,” Alison rolls her eyes and Aria raises her eyebrows in agreement.

Silence fills the air again, only being interrupted by a security guard’s handheld radio that buzzes before the girls hear a fuzzy voice come through the speaker with details of a crash near the town’s district line, afterwards hearing nurses walk by with charts in hand, foreheads creased.

“I hate hospitals,” Aria remarks with a whisper, staring at the white, tiled ground in front of her feet but below Hanna’s.

Alison shifts her jaw and hugs herself tighter in response, paying no more attention to the second blonde’s pacing because she knows that the girl won’t stop until Emily comes back with whatever news. Really, Alison kicks herself for not accompanying the brunette, especially if something really  _ did  _ happen and now Emily has to deal with that news alone━

No, nothing happened, Alison shakes her head and Aria glances in her direction.

“You okay?” she pays attention to Alison’s body language, noting her stiff yet desperate self-embrace.

“I don’t think that’s a suitable question for the situation,” she slams her eyes shut and takes a deep breath. “I don’t think any of us are okay.”

Aria puts her arm around Alison and rubs her further shoulder, trying to offer some sort of comfort even though she doesn’t know what else to do since they’re all in the same boat, simply waiting for Emily to return now that she’s been gone for seventeen entire minutes.

“Did you get in touch with Ezra?” Alison attempts to change the subject, abruptly wiping her left eye with the back of her hand before looking at Aria who nods after a partial period of hesitation.

“I just sent him a text,” she looks regretful and her voice is barely audible. “I don’t expect him to answer anytime soon.”

Alison nods, feeling guilty for Aria even though there’s nothing she can do. Her blue eyes glance at Hanna next, noticing that the girl finished pacing and is now standing in one spot, facing them with the tip of her thumb bitten between her teeth. She doesn’t blink, at least not for extended amounts of time, until Alison breaks whatever (likely dark) thoughts she’s having.

“Have you heard from Caleb?”

“Yeah, he’s on his way,” she mutters.

Alison nods before hesitantly adding, “Have either of you messaged Toby? I’m sure he’d want to know.”

“I did but nothing,” Aria answers. “He’s probably still driving.”

The same blonde sighs and leans back, still feeling Aria’s arm wrapped around her shoulders and, honestly, she enjoys the comfort, sensing a closeness between the three of them currently ━ even if the circumstances are absolutely horrible. When she looks up, however, she sees Emily approaching from down the hall, fixing her hair as if she’s exhausted and the three girls in the waiting room stand up to face the tanned girl who, eventually, is lingering a few feet away from them while taking a deep breath.

“They said she’s stable now,” Emily notifies, looking at each girl individually and letting herself study Alison’s demeanor for two seconds longer. “She lost a lot of blood but they said her body is starting to recover as much as it can for the time being. They’ll let us know if anything changes.”

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Hanna worries as she slams her eyes shut, shaking her head harshly while looking down at the floor and crossing her arms as if to shield herself from the night’s events.

“You guys are staying here, right?” Aria looks at the others, one after another. “I’m not sure when her parents will be here and I doubt I’m going to get any sleep so I think I’m just gonna stay in case she wakes up.”

“Yeah, I’ll stay,” Hanna adds. “I can’t bear the thought of sleeping while she’s…” her voice trails off but the others understand completely, all making their own nervous expressions while glancing in different directions.

Emily looks at Alison who soon glances at her in return, quietly whispering, “Do you want me to bring you home?”

“No, I want to stay with everyone,” the blonde answers, afterwards biting her lower, chapped lip a fraction.

“Are you sure?” her voice gets even lower, covering her real question with another that Alison, ultimately, understands and nods at with vulnerable eyes.

Aria and Hanna watch the two with curious expressions, though not offering much under the circumstances of Spencer’s life being struggled for just a few hallways away. Instead, they linger in their respective standing positions while looking around the room every now and then, sometimes having their eyes dart back and forth between the brunette and blonde who seem to be holding some type of unspoken, underlying conversation.

“I’m positive,” Alison finally reassures with a small voice and Emily studies her face for any sign of hesitation or regret, finding none.

To ease the brunette’s worries further and, honestly, solely because she needs comfort right now (specifically  _ Emily’s _ ), Alison shifts closer to where the girl stands and entwines their fingers. She hesitantly leans her cheek on Emily’s shoulder while looking at the floor, feeling the girl’s head tilt against hers as they stand, only partially side-eying the two that look at them with curious faces.

A mounting silence builds again as they stand in a compact circle, no one knowing how to break the tension or exactly wanting to, in the first place, because there’s just too much to say at the moment ━ but nothing light and airy.

In the end, Caleb shows up and hugs Hanna for minutes on end, allowing the blonde to cry against his shoulder for an extended amount of time as everyone else stares on with sorry eyes. Once everything calms down, however, hours progress and, a time or two, they get word that Spencer is still resting peacefully with no signs of struggling, allowing them to breathe out. Mr. and Mrs. Hastings arrive at one point, only offering the girls panicked looks before running down the hall and disappearing behind heavy doors.

For most of the night, the group sits in the side-area’s waiting room chairs, Hanna and Caleb on one side of the squared set-up with Emily and Aria on each side of Alison. The blonde leans against Emily and cuddles her as much as she can while time moves on, at one point leaning over to Aria and half-heartedly joking that she can join if she wants. Surprisingly, she takes the invite and leans on Alison, everyone attempting to rest the night away as much as possible without fully falling asleep in case Spencer, for any reason, needs them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the lightest one-shot, I know, but I needed to get this one out of my folder.
> 
> I come bearing good news! "Place Your Bet" (my new multi-chapter) is finished from Ch. 1 all the way to the epilogue, ending at 154.6K words (by the way, I started writing Ch. 1 on January 8th), A.K.A. the longest story I've written to date, passing TM&HS at 149.2K. Now, I know what you're thinking: "It's quality, not quantity." Yes, indeed, but I promise the quality is just as explosive (in a totally non-cocky way). It's my favorite story, I think, and that's saying something because I don't normally pick favorites since all of my stories are my babies.
> 
> But wait, there's more! Because I finished the epilogue last night (which I didn't think I'd be doing so quickly), I posted this one-shot, specifically, so I could let you beautiful people know that I'm going to be posting "Place Your Bet" three days earlier than originally planned, making the publishing date Thursday, March 9th. So, if you were wishing for an earlier date for this multi-chapter, you got your wish because I, personally, cannot wait to post the story (and I'd do it today if I had much more revised). I'm sticking to my previous word: I'll post another one-shot on March 9th (after uploading Ch. 1 of the multi-chapter) to tell you that the new story is out because I know this site can sometimes be annoying with the lack of notifications.
> 
> If you have any questions (and I'm still not taking prompts, my apologies), message me on here or send them to my Tumblr ("capn-charlie") so I can answer them to the best of my ability. Or you can just say hi. I like hi's.
> 
> Before I leave, I wanted to give ya'll an update on my pup. For those of you who don't know, my four year old (almost five) dog ruptured her ACL around New Year's and the vet had initially told us to see if it heals a bit on its own (since it wasn't horrible and she's a young pup), but recently we took her for another check-up and they're suggesting surgery. We actually scheduled a consultation for the surgery and it's unfortunately on her birthday (February 28th). So, what I'm asking is for you to send us some more positive vibes. Please and thank you.
> 
> Now, have a nice rest of the week and I'll see you... sometime...


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Paige confronts Alison about her relationship with Emily ━ Established Emison; sometime after 7x10.

“Thanks for coming.”

Alison slides into the booth at a small, hole-in-the-wall restaurant with an irritated yet determined frown on her face, now seated across from Paige who wears a similar expression.

“Mhm,” the blonde manages to hum, afterwards clearing her throat while still avoiding the girl in front of her because this is so  _ not  _ how she wanted to spend her Friday afternoon ━ especially since it’s a school holiday and she has the day off.

Neither of them speak for an extended amount of time, solely looking around the restaurant while Alison’s hands are clasped between her knees under the table in an annoyed manner while Paige’s elbows rest on the wooden surface, simply searching for what to say within the short, quiet time-period. Alison rolls her eyes partially, mostly because Paige asked her out to lunch to discuss some things and she didn’t particularly  _ want  _ to accept the invitation, but she told Emily she’d attempt to stay on solid ground since this “feud” has gone on for long enough. Actually, scratch that, she told the girl that she’d be as passive as possible; she didn’t say anything about Alison having to go out to lunch with her ex-girlfriend, but it’s not like Emily knows, anyway. 

_ “All I’m asking is that you don’t glare at her every time she walks into the room, Ali,” Emily’s forehead creases and she sighs while looking at the blonde who sits on the edge of their bed ━ something they’ve both become accustomed to saying ever since they decided to give their… whatever-it-is… a real shot. _

_ “I’m sure she does the same to me,” Alison tries, her voice raising a fraction with wide eyes staring in Emily’s direction. _

_ The girl breathes out; Alison’s not wrong, but this entire back and forth thing is exhausting. _

_ “Please,” Emily pleads while taking a step forward, ending up right in front of Alison’s knees, “just… try. For me.” _

_ The blonde looks down at their feet. _

_ She continues, “I’m not asking you to like her. I’m not even asking you to not dislike her.” _

_ When Alison continues to focus everywhere but on Emily, the brunette takes her girlfriend’s hands and clasps them between her own, simply staring and waiting for blue eyes to face her. _

_ “I know there’s history between you two, Ali, and that can’t be erased, but don’t you want things to be… easier? If not for me, then for yourself, or for the baby…” she’s finally looked at, earning a relenting sigh and jaw-shift. _

_ Alison hastily nods while pressing her tongue to her inner cheek. Emily, in front of her, leans down when she sees the blonde giving into the idea of letting things go as much as possible. She cups the girl’s cheeks and gently tilts her head upwards so they’re looking at one another, afterwards cracking a small grin as Alison mirrors it with ease, both girls eventually having their lips sealed. _

“What’s this about, Paige?” Alison breaks out of her thoughts and finally looks at the girl seated across from her with a raised eyebrow because she knows, for a fact, that she didn’t solely invite her for lunch just because she enjoys their time together.

Paige seems to breathe out as she “prepares” for what she’s about to say, earning a subtle eye-roll from Alison because she could’ve said whatever-it-is by now, considering they’ve been sitting in silence for at least seven minutes and, at this rate, the blonde doesn’t even plan on ordering anything aside from the water that she’s currently sipping on.

“You and Emily.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“I care for her, Alison, so _ yes _ … it is my business,” Paige leans forward on the table, causing Alison to tilt her head in a challenging way.

“You sure as hell have a funny way of showing it,” comes the rebuttal and Paige looks taken aback for a split second, afterwards regaining a straight face when she attempts to hold a serious conversation.

“I’m not the only one.”

“ _ I’m _ not the one bitching left and right about what choices she makes,” Alison mirrors Paige’s position, leaning forward so she can whisper-hiss without anyone else hearing although the restaurant is basically empty.

“It’s because I care,” her features look incredulous, like the entire, underlying negative accusation is ridiculous. “I’ve watched Em suffer for years, most of that time because of  _ you _ , and I refuse to let that happen again.”

Alison leans back in her seat, shifting her jaw and trying to breathe as much as she can without looking like she has to go outside to release some anger. Paige, similarly, shifts backwards for ten seconds, afterwards regaining her position from prior, elbows resting on the table’s surface.

“I know you’re pregnant,” Paige confesses and Alison keeps on a stone-like facade even though she’s internally panicking a fraction because it isn’t noticeable yet and, as far as she knows, neither she nor Emily told anyone ━ not even the other girls.

Her eyes dart around the room as she mimics Paige’s body language again, arms on the table.

“Okay?” Alison offers a half-assed shrug. “And?”

“Don’t play it off, Alison,” Paige warns with narrowed eyes and a partial frown. “You and I both know that I’m better at reading you than I used to be.”

“That’s because I  _ let  _ people ‘read’ me nowadays,” Alison challenges. “I’m not the bitch you once knew in high school, Paige.”

“I disagree,” comes the curt statement, “but I didn’t ask you to come here today just because I want some sort of revenge or blackmail.”

“Shocking,” Alison raises her eyebrows and looks away.

“I thought about it,” she admits with a straight face, “but, like I said, I’m more worried about Emily.”

“What’s there to worry about?” her eyes widen. “She’s finally happy. Why do you have to get involved every single time?”

“Because something seems to happen every single time,” Paige mocks her wide-eyes.

“That’s not my fault,” Alison shakes her head with a low tone.

“Are you sure about that?” her voice cracks.

No answer.

“This baby━” Paige starts, only to be cut off.

“It’s none of your business,” she speaks softly and firmly.

“No, it’s not. You’re right,” comes the snide response. “But,  _ again _ , Emily is my business, and I don’t appreciate you using this to trap her in some hell-ish relationship or whatever-the-hell you call it.” 

“And  _ I  _ don’t appreciate you sticking your nose in my relationship with Emily, but here we are,” she tilts her head as she leans forward, keeping her voice a total whisper. “You may have fucked up  _ your  _ relationship with Em, but you’re definitely not going to screw up mine.”

“I was protecting her. I still am.”

“Were you protecting her when you left for California because you couldn’t handle everything? Or when you did everything that she specifically asked you  _ not  _ to do? How about when you went out of your damn way to mention my name to the police?” Alison lists.

The girl just stares at her.

She continues, “I may have done some horrible, regretful things, but I never once put your life on the line for my petty gain,  _ especially  _ because I know that Emily cares about you and, although I  _ loathe  _ the fact, I know I can’t change it and I’m happy she had someone to grow with while I couldn’t be there for her. Even if that someone was you.”

“I’m not proud of turning you into the police, Alison,” Paige shakes her head with a firm tone. “I was  _ scared _ .”

“Oh, bullshit,” Alison breathes out with a short chuckle. “You may have gotten better at reading me, Paige, but I’ve  _ always  _ been able to read you just fine.”

They both take a few, deep breaths, silence filling the space between them until Alison looks at Paige again.

“So, if you didn’t bring me here to corner me, why  _ did  _ you ask me to come?”

“I wanted to share my concerns,” Paige shrugs one shoulder.

“Talk, then,” Alison speaks absentmindedly. “After this, I don’t care what you have to say because I am  _ sick  _ of being painted as the bad guy.”

“I find it very coincidental that you and Em just so happened to get together around the same time that you found out you’re pregnant,” comes the explanation.

“Interesting,” the blonde gives her a tight-lipped smile. “Scandalous, even.”

“Cut the crap, Alison,” she shakes her head with more force. “There has to be a reason as to why your relationship started once you found out you’re having a baby.”

“Is it so hard for you to believe that I actually… say, I don’t know…  _ like  _ her?” the rhetorical question passes her lips as her eyes bore into Paige’s.

“Yes, actually, it is. I don’t believe you know how to show  _ anyone  _ genuine affection, but maybe that’s just a younger version of me talking… or maybe it’s a valid theory.”

Alison stares at her, expressionless.

She continues, “Have you ever wondered why none of your relationships seemed to work out?”

“Because I wasn’t committed.” 

“And you’re committed now?”

“Yes.”

“Until when?” Paige asks. “How do you know you won’t break her heart again?”

“I don’t want to,” is the only answer Alison gives.

“But you have before, Alison, and you need to take that into account.”

“That was before,” her voice wavers, feeling the effects of the conversation and, honestly, they aren’t good ━ in fact, she wants to go home and cry because, in some, twisted way, Paige is right; she has no idea if she’ll end up breaking Emily’s heart like she did plenty of times in the past.

Paige, sensing her open ears, decides to continue, “What makes this time different? A baby?”

“No,” Alison mutters.

“Then what?”

“I don’t have to answer you,” the blonde looks up since she’s been staring at the table for a minute now.

“No, you don’t,” she shrugs, “but you know I’m right and I can tell.”

Alison gets out a small laugh, rolls her eyes, and slides out of the seat, not knowing why she decided to come in the first place because this turned out swell. Paige watches her without saying anything at first, simply studying the blonde who grabs her purse and lingers near the table.

“You can’t ignore this,” Paige speaks when Alison finally locks eyes with her.

“You’re right, I can’t,” the blonde says through a deep breath, “but you’re wrong when you assume that I’m using Em. I haven’t been this happy in years and I don’t think she’s been, either. If you care about her that much, you’ll leave our relationship alone.”

“Are you asking me to stop talking to Emily?”

“No, that’s not what I said,” Alison’s voice is now forceful because she refuses to have her words twisted. “I want you to back off when it comes to my relationship with Emily. It’s none of your business and you know that. If you have an opinion, keep it to yourself unless she asks you for it and, even then, be mature enough to know the difference between what’s resentment towards me, and actual  _ advice _ .”

Paige purses her lips.

She continues, “I don’t hate you, Paige, and I really do hope you know that, but you need to figure out how to care for someone without forcing yourself into their decisions. If Emily wasn’t happy, she wouldn’t be with me. Trust her judgement.”

Again, no answer, which is when Alison decides that it’s time to walk away. So, with one last, deep breath, she turns around and pushes through the door of the restaurant, leaving Paige sitting in the same spot with two waters placed upon the table’s surface.

As the blonde walks to her car, she chews on her bottom lip through a tinge of annoyance and sadness, not wanting to allow Paige’s words to affect her but having no say in what they make her think. Again, the girl is somewhat right: if something happens, it’ll probably be Alison’s fault in some way, shape, or form. Sure, she’s come a long way from being the high school girl that tore people limb from limb in an emotional sense, but that person couldn’t have disappeared completely. What if she still, in some deep embodiment, lives within Alison and her choices, and what if Emily finds that out the hard way? 

Alison grips the steering wheel in front of her, staring at the logo in the center while zoning out for two additional minutes, eventually turning on the ignition and preparing to drive home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're under 50 days until PLL returns. That's... impressive. I remember when it was 130 days and I was passed out on the ground because I'm impatient. 
> 
> Again, I posted this one-shot today because Autumn came back from her surgery consultation and we are, indeed, going through with it. The operation is being done on Tuesday, March 7th, so I'll be back that day to post another one-shot since I'll likely be feeling down and ya'll make me feel better.
> 
> For now, take it easy and join me in counting down the days until my new multi-chapter is posted (on March 9th). I've already gone through it five times and, honestly, I'm beyond excited (which I know I keep saying but bear with me). 
> 
> Enjoy your day.


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison talks to Emily about what Paige said when they went out to lunch ━ Possible sequel to the Ch 34 one-shot ━ Established Emison; sometime after 7x10.

“How’d your meeting go?” Emily asks from where she’s seated on the couch, having heard Alison enter the house two minutes prior to slowly walking into the room without saying anything.

Alison takes a deep breath, “As expected.”

The brunette detects something wrong and, automatically, she turns her body so they’re face to face. Alison now sits in the armchair across from her, having a whole coffee table between their seats as the blonde looks conflicted about something. Emily frowns at the stiff body language, not knowing what’s going through the girl’s mind because, before she left, she already seemed on-edge but now it comes off ten times worse and it’s worrisome.

“Is something wrong, Ali?” Emily bows her head a bit, tilting it to the side as if she’ll be able to read Alison better that way.

“I met up with Paige,” she confesses and the brunette leans back, lips parted while her forehead creases because she definitely wasn’t expecting that.

“Why?” is the only question that comes out and, honestly, Alison’s been asking herself the same thing.

“You said you wanted me to be the bigger person, Em. I figured…” her voice trails off, not wanting to sound like she’s blaming the girl but attempting to explain, anyway.

“I didn’t mean that you had to go on a lunch date with her,” Emily doesn’t sound angry but her tone is confused and maybe a bit defensive.

“No, I know. That’s on me,” she shakes her head.

The brunette notes her even-further regretful body language, watching Alison almost hug her own torso as she looks at the coffee table between them. Emily allows her to think for an extended amount of time, just listening to the silence that fills the room now that she’s muted the nearby television. Alison’s eyes flicker to Emily’s face every now and then, not wanting to make direct eye contact because she’s not sure if she’d be able to hold it steadily, at the moment.

“What happened?” Emily’s voice is cautious and whispered, trying her best to sound supportive instead of invasive.

“She just… she said a lot,” Alison looks at her hands, “and it got me thinking…”

“Ali…”

“No, let me…” she bites her lower lip in thought, seeming like she’s struggling to get more words out as Emily stares at her with obvious sympathy.

After another breath, Alison explains, “When Paige and I first started talking, she was basically questioning my motives. Like why I’m with you, and why we  _ coincidentally  _ got together around the time when I found out…” her eyes widen and glance down, making a face.

“Wait, how does she know?” Emily looks panicked.

“I don’t know,” Alison shrugs. “Maybe she heard us talking somewhere.”

“It’s none of her business,” the brunette shakes her head, getting up.

“Where are you going?” she frowns.

“I want to know how she found out.”

“Emily,” Alison calls as the girl takes a few steps toward the door, only to be stopped when she hears the blonde getting up to follow, “please… don’t.”

Turning around, Emily purses her lips and looks away from Alison who stands three feet away with a pained expression. She crosses her arms in response, not wanting to let Paige use this information to her advantage but knowing that Alison’s wishes are more important. 

“I don’t want you fighting with her simply because she knows something that everyone is bound to find out, anyway,” Alison bites her lower lip for a second. “It’s not worth it.”

“Of course it’s worth it, Alison,” Emily’s eyebrows furrow. “She practically implied that you’re only with me because you’re having a baby and, for whatever reason, need  _ romantic  _ support for that.”

“I know,” Alison whispers.

“And you’re listening to her,” it’s partly an assumption whereas the rest is a soft accusation, eyes pointed as a frown covers her face.

“No,” she shakes her head, “not about that.”

“Then what else did she say, Ali?”

“She thinks that I’m going to hurt you again,” Alison’s voice remains a whisper. “Mostly because something’s happened every time we get close, usually being a result of something I said or did.” 

The blonde walks away as she clenches her jaw, feeling disgusted with the past now that she’s admitting it aloud. She’s sitting on the couch a moment later, hand rubbing at her right eye socket because, ever since the afternoon’s events, she’s exhausted and just wants to relax for the rest of the day.

Emily, from where she remains standing, licks her lips in thought as she bows her head, eventually walking over to sit next to Alison who shifts so they’re not completely on top of each other. 

Her brown eyes bore into the blonde’s temple while silence filters through the area, simply studying her slumped body language as thoughts wrack at the girl’s brain. In an attempt to somehow help in a small way, Emily reaches out and entwines their fingers, holding Alison’s hand between her own while blue eyes don’t dare look at her for longer than two seconds.

“What do you want to do about it, then?” Emily wonders.

“I  _ can’t  _ do anything about it,” she mutters.

“That’s true,” the girl nods, “so why are you acting as if you can?”

No response.

“Ali, I know for a fact that you’d change the past in a heartbeat,” Emily tries, sliding an inch closer and turning her body so she’s fully facing Alison who continuously avoids looking back at the brunette, “but you can’t, and that’s…  _ life _ .”

“But what if history repeats itself?” Alison speaks almost absentmindedly, her lip quivering for a split second and, in that time, Emily frowns. “What if I’m not much different from who I used to be?”

“You  _ are  _ much different,” she reinforces the idea. “Even if you weren’t, you’d still  _ want  _ to be different, and that means something. That means there’s room for change and maturity.”

“That doesn’t mean I could achieve it.”

“Why are you being so hard on yourself?” Emily tilts her head to the side, grasping Alison’s hand a fraction tighter. “This isn’t you.”

“But what if it is?” Alison finally lifts her head. “I’ve been stuck in this whole…” she struggles to get the words out, “ _ happiness _ thing that I’ve completely ignored the fact that I may or may not deserve it in the first place.”

“You  _ do  _ deserve it. That’s not up for debate.”

She glances at their hands and clenches her jaw.

Emily continues, “God, I can’t believe you’re choosing to listen to Paige over me. After everything…”

“Don’t do that,” Alison shakes her head.

“Why not?” Emily’s eyes widen as she brings both of her hands into her lap. “You’re being irrational, so why can’t I?”

“This isn’t me being irrational, Emily. This is me telling you what’s going on.”

“I won’t accept that,” the brunette swallows hard. “You weren’t acting this way before you went out with her. Don’t you see what’s happening? She’s purposely putting ideas in your head, Alison. She never wanted us together.  _ Ever _ .”

“This isn’t about her!” Alison turns her body so they’re fully face to face. “This is about us and the possibility of me breaking your heart for the millionth time.”

“You won’t.”

“But what if I do? Then what?”

“Stop with the what if’s!”

“Look, I know you’re happy right now━”

“And you’re just as happy,” Emily interrupts, causing Alison’s mouth to hang open before she rubs her lips together and softens her demeanor tenfold. 

She whispers, “Yes, I am. Far more than you know.”

The brunette takes a deep breath.

Alison continues, “But happiness doesn’t always stop bad things from happening.”

“Bad things are bound to happen no matter what, Ali,” Emily gives insight. “Even if I were still in California, bad things could and  _ would  _ happen. It doesn’t mean the world is going to stop spinning. You just have to gather your pieces and move the hell on.”

Alison swallows hard.

“Do you enjoy being with me?” Emily asks suddenly, a genuine tone covering her voice.

“You know I do.”

“But do you enjoy being with me enough to  _ try  _ listening to what I’m saying?”

She carefully nods, looking down.

“Stop waiting for something to happen,” she continues with a whisper, grabbing Alison’s hand again. “If you go looking for trouble, you’ll find it. If you welcome it…” her voice trails off before she starts a new sentence, “We’re bound to hit bumps along the road, Alison, but you can’t give up only because you’re afraid that we won’t make it through. Give us a chance.”

Again, she nods but, this time, actually looks up to lock eyes with Emily after, speaking quietly.

“Do you think we’ll make it?” she wonders. “Do you think… we have a good chance of staying together? Through all of this…” a laugh falls from her lips as her eyes widen when she looks down at herself, afterwards feeling Emily’s thumb rub against her hand. 

“Yes, I do,” Emily smiles. “And you should too.”

Alison’s smile turns into a soft smirk as time progresses, slowly shifting closer until she mutters a tiny “Come here” to Emily who complies, automatically leaning in to share a kiss. The brunette backs up with a smile, but her lips are sealed for a second time until that kiss is broken in the same manner.

“I’m gonna go out on a limb and assume you didn’t actually eat while you were there,” Emily laughs when Alison smiles at the knowing tone, afterwards kissing her again.

The brunette backs up with a smile, “I’ll get you something.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Alison raises an amused eyebrow.

“Oh, so you  _ don’t  _ want to order something from that place you’ve been  _ constantly  _ mentioning for… hm, let’s see… two weeks, give or take?”

“What’s in it for you?” she teases, smirking heavily at Emily whose mouth opens at the subtle taunt, her lips curving into a smile within seconds.

“I get to spend a relaxing day with you,” comes the shrug.

“ _ Relaxing _ ?”

“More or less,” Emily teases Alison just as much, earning narrowed eyes.

Emily leans in for another kiss when she sees Alison’s pointed look, flashing her a childish smile until the blonde hums a curt “Mhm” and connects their lips like before, this time deepening the embrace as they sit on the couch. Alison smiles against her mouth, feeling content with what they recently discussed, ultimately allowing herself to fall harder for the girl she’s coming to know and love after everything she’s done ━ no matter if it involved her destroying whatever they  _ almost  _ were at the time, or in regards to how she, as a person, used to be cold-hearted to the extent of regretting ninety percent of her actions. 

She’s growing, and that’s what matters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted this because, as promised, I said I'd add a one-shot after I published the first chapter of "Place Your Bet" (the new multi-chapter fic) and, surprise (or maybe not), I'm four days early since I have the discipline of a two-year-old.
> 
> So, hopefully I'll be seeing some (if not all) of you reviewing my new story which will next be updated on Wednesday. Since I posted this one-shot today, my next one-shot will be added on Tuesday (after my pup's surgery), and then I have no idea about after that.
> 
> Have a nice Sunday, everyone.


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A fluff-infused, Emison morning scene ━ Established Emison; sometime after 7x10.

“Ali,” Emily sits on the edge of the bed next to where the blonde girl lies, bed sheets covering the majority of her body aside from her bare shoulder and hair-covered face, “come on, it’s time to get ready for work.”

When she stands up, Alison responds after a small groan.

“Mm, no,” the girl mumbles, feeling awake but not enough to move from the bed because she’s too damn tired. “Come back to bed.”

Emily watches Alison’s eyes flutter open for a few seconds, sparkling with a tinge of hope as they mirror each other’s soft, newly-formed smiles. The brunette looks away, in the end, because she knows that she’ll be sucked into complying and, if that happens, they’ll never make it to Rosewood High on time.

“We have to get ready,” Emily speaks with a smile of her own while walking over to the dresser and rummaging through her own drawers, having acquired more when she moved into Alison’s house once they actually decided to be a real, solid couple.

Alison tilts her head slightly so she can watch the other girl stand in front of the drawers while wearing only a bra and underwear as she tries to figure out an outfit. The blonde absentmindedly bites her lower lip as her eyes roam Emily’s body, remembering the night before and, ultimately, the reason why they’re both exhausted, though they still have to leave the damn house for the sake of their jobs.

Emily looks over her shoulder a few seconds later, feeling like she’s being stared at and, when she turns around, her suspicions are confirmed by Alison’s darker-than-usual, blue eyes. The blonde offers a smile but groans in response to Emily’s lecturing, “get your ass out of bed” type of gaze, flopping onto her back as she untucks her arms from the underneath the covers and rests them across her stomach.

“We’ll be back home before you know it,” Emily comments while approaching the bed, still not wearing much.

“That’s not soon enough,” Alison mumbles.

“Ali…”

“Why don’t we… call in sick?” the girl suggests with a fresh, hopeful tone and a smile as Emily rounds the bed so they’re face to face, Alison now on her side like previously. 

She continues, “Paige can coach for the day and the school can find a substitute for my classes.”

“No way,” Emily breathes out a tiny laugh. “The students will be gossipping about why we’re absent on the same day.”

“Em, they  _ already  _ do that. Even ninety percent of the faculty talks about us,” the blonde arches an eyebrow. “We might as well continue doing what they  _ know  _ we do,” she ends with a subtle smirk and reaches for the other girl, pulling her closer and downwards until they’re at eye level.

Alison kisses her gently and Emily allows herself to revel in the feeling, constantly remembering that they’re officially a couple and aren’t afraid of showing the fact. Sometimes, things even feel like they’re falling into place, regardless of what’s happening with A.D. ━  _ and  _ Alison’s back and forth mood swings due to her pregnancy. Actually, Emily thinks, they haven’t been that bad considering how everything came about, and the blonde genuinely seems happy, especially regarding the idea that their relationship is, indeed,  _ real _ .

Currently, Alison tries to deepen the kiss while managing to cup the brunette’s jaw with her left hand, still pressed against the mattress while Emily is hunched over the side of the bed. When the brunette feels herself getting pulled more on top of the girl, however, she breaks the kiss for a split second before Alison leans forward again, mumbling a  _ very  _ enticing “Please come back to bed” that makes Emily’s stomach feel fuzzy.

“We only have an hour before we have to leave, Alison,” Emily half-heartedly scolds as she straightens her back, being pouted at.

“At least lay with me for thirty minutes,” is the blonde’s next proposal. “It doesn’t take you that long to get ready.”

“Yeah, but it takes  _ you  _ that long to get ready.”

“I can rush today,” Alison continues her attempts to get the brunette back into bed. “Come on, you already have a spare alarm set, anyway.”

Emily looks like she’s debating, eyes darting around the dimly-lit room as Alison stares at her from where she lies, shoulder pressed against the mattress while the blankets now barely cover her chest. Still, the brunette hesitates and weighs her options, mostly because she wants to make Alison as happy as possible, but she knows that, if she crawls back into bed, there’s a very slim chance of both of them being able to leave for work. 

It’s not like they don’t have any more vacation days, she thinks while pursing her lips. Actually, they have a lot of them saved up since they’re both very punctual when it comes to their jobs, but it’s not like Emily wants to waste them on simple, lazy days ━ not to mention the fact that this would be  _ extremely  _ short notice.

“Em,  _ please _ ,” now, Alison begs with a small whine as she turns to bury her face in the pillow, afterwards getting out a muffled “I don’t feel well.”

“Are you just saying that, or do you  _ really  _ not feel well?” she tilts her head to the side, raising her eyebrows as Alison unburies her face from the pillow.

“A little of both,” comes the confession and the brunette chuckles.

Blue eyes bore into brown while Emily lingers near the bed, silently challenging Alison who doesn’t back down. In fact, the brunette can tell that her girlfriend is willing to put up a fight all the way up until when they  _ actually  _ have to leave, so she breathes out while turning off the small lamp. Next, she shakes her head with a tiny smile, slowly walking over to the other side of the bed. She lifts the covers and slides underneath them as Alison hums happily, crawling over to Emily who starts to get situated. 

“You really enjoy using this entire morning sickness thing to your advantage, don’t you?” Emily feels Alison’s naked body press against hers, the blonde’s fingers now playing with hers atop her tanned stomach.

“If I have to deal with it, I deserve to use it to get my way every once in a while,” her head semi-rests on Emily’s chest, hearing the brunette laugh at the declaration. 

“Every once in a while? Don’t you mean ‘every other day’?” she mutters and earns a pinch to the skin of her stomach, eliciting a sharp inhale.

Suddenly, Alison leans up and silently asks for a kiss, being granted one within seconds before resuming her position from before and listening to the girl’s heartbeat. She enjoys the warmth shared between them within the darkness of the room, making her smile a fraction while pushing herself against Emily as much as she can.

“You talk in your sleep, you know,” Emily smiles abruptly, feeling Alison tilt her head upwards before going back to how she was resting prior.

“Do I?” she matches the smile.

“Mhm. Usually it’s quiet but last night you were pretty talkative.” 

“Shut up,” Alison laughs and partially buries her face into the girl’s chest.

“No, I swear.” Emily raises her eyebrows but laughs the same, watching Alison lift her head so they’re at eye level.

“What’d I say?” the blonde narrows her eyes, earning a tight-lipped smile and a squinted focus.

“That’s between me and your subconscious.”

“Come on.”

“Nope.”

“I’ll get it out of you,” Alison challenges with raised eyebrows and an unreadable expression.

“Oh, I’m  _ so  _ threatened,” Emily teases through sarcasm even though she knows that she really shouldn’t.

“You should be,” the blonde presses a pair of warm pecks to the girl’s mouth, afterwards only leaving less than an inch of space between their faces as her eyes flicker open to look at Emily who manages to make shaky eye contact after a brief period of difficulty due to proximity.

“You do realize that I’m not going to let you leave this bed today, right?” Alison whispers with a shy grin, earning a sigh that’s half-concerned yet half-relieved.

“Fine, but  _ you’re  _ calling the school first because I sure as hell can’t come up with a good excuse right now,” Emily speaks pointedly, her voice quiet.

“I’ll just tell them that you’re too needy and won’t let me leave,” Alison chuckles when Emily’s eyes widen in warning, afterwards pressing another kiss to the girl’s lips while lying on top of her. “No, but seriously. I can't call for you and you know that. Just… say it’s an emergency.”

Emily sighs, “I'll wait until you're done.”

Alison rolls off Emily another minute later, reaching for her phone on the bedside table while sitting up. She takes most of the covers with her, exposing her back as the brunette drags her fingertips up and down the girl’s spine. Alison looks over her shoulder while waiting for someone to answer, playfully rolling her eyes at the tickling sensation. Emily smiles while Alison’s voice fades out of her focus, just enjoying the fact that they’ve come so far from how they used to be and, if the distant future ━ or even  _ extended  _ future ━ looks anything like this, she’ll welcome it with open arms because it’s the happiest she’s been in a long time. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know about ya'll, but I needed some fluff. 
> 
> Update on my pup: Surgery went perfectly, post-op went great, and now she's home. Her entire right leg is shaved (tbh, I keep calling her "Raw Chicken Wing") and she's drowsy as all hell, but it was successful. Currently, she's lying next to me and whining but she'll be okay. Thanks for all the support, and Autumn thanks you just as much.
> 
> For now, I don't know about you guys, but I'll be rereading Ch 1 of my new story repeatedly. Hint hint.


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My spin on the 7x11 "Please don't kiss me again … not until you know" scene.

“What was that all about?”

“What was what about?”

“We were in a teachers’ lounge. Not the cafeteria before homeroom. I mean, what is it? Are you afraid of Paige, or you just felt like punching a familiar face?” her words stem from a mixture of confusion and disbelief ━ okay, and maybe exhaustion.

“I take it you and Sabrina are still on hold,” her voice is unwavering, dancing around the subject.

“See, this is the part of you that I hate,” Emily takes a tiny step forward. “When someone gets close, it makes you itch, so you swat people away like they’re bugs.”

Alison rolls her eyes and turns around, “Please… just… go away.”

She sounds tired, but not just the “I haven’t slept because my dead, ex-husband’s baby is twisting my insides” type of exhaustion; the girl sounds bothered, confused, torn, and simply…  _ done _ .

Emily takes a deep breath, attempting to keep herself level-headed even though she’s quickly snapping because this is becoming too much, too fast.

“That’s what you want me to do,” the brunette doesn’t know if it’s a question or an accusation, but she continues on while rolling her eyes with a dumbfounded smile. “God, Ali, why do we have to keep showing you that we love you?” she wants to keep this on a simple, “me and you” basis, but something tells her that part of this is deeper.

This is insecurity ━ and there’s  _ a lot _ of it. 

The brunette accidentally blocks the other girl’s voice out for a split second, not zoning back into the conversation until Alison claims her life is a steaming-hot mess, the two facing each other. Suddenly, Emily feels herself snapping again.

“ _ Everyone’s _ life is a hot mess.”

Alison’s attitude turns amused but sinister, something that Emily’s become accustomed to ever since the blonde’s life twisted and turned more than ever before. She’s a soft person and Emily knows that, but it’s primarily only when they’re alone. The thought makes her want to look around the room, noting that they  _ are  _ alone and, well, this conversation is going south pretty quickly. 

“Em,” she takes in a sharp breath, “you and Paige…” the words sting her tongue but she makes them come out, “you’re not together now but you were,” the idea makes her stomach churn, her voice audibly wavering for a split second and Emily listens attentively, forehead creased.

She continues, “You have  _ real  _ memories. None of my memories are real. They’re all lies.”

Emily stares at her with that same, disbelieving frown, wanting to speak up and ask about their memories. Their quotes. Their exchanged, sentimental gifts. Their glances. Their kisses.  _ Everything _ .

But she doesn’t ask, and who knows if that’s for the best but, right now, a new question bubbles in her throat, so she decides to nip the impending conversation in the ass before it completely consumes her.

“Ali,” it sounds more like a question, but she tries to keep a solid tone, “that other night when you kissed me… was that because you wanted to, or because you didn’t want me to leave?”

At first, Alison visibly registers the question but doesn’t respond. In fact, she seems to allow the underlying wonder to sink in before she reacts and, when she finally does, her demeanor appears to stiffen, not wanting to come off as vulnerable ━ because that’s what Alison reminds herself:

Don’t be vulnerable. That way, they can’t break you when they leave ━ even when it’s your fault.

“I don’t know,” Alison’s response sounds forced even though it’s light, her chin raising in the process.

Emily only hesitantly nods with parted lips in what feels like slow motion, not because she accepts the answer, but because she expected it. What she didn’t expect, on the other hand, is to see a contradicting glint in Alison’s blue eyes:

She  _ does  _ know.

And she’s terrified.

And she’s not going to admit it ━ at least not today.

God, if only she had seen that towering, crumbling wall behind the girl’s eyes prior to sharing that kiss over a week ago. What was Emily thinking when she gave into someone so vulnerable? She subtly rolls her eyes; of course she was dreaming about tasting the girl’s soft lips like she had time and time again ━ no matter how young and confused they were. Now it’s going to be ten times harder to “cut the strings” ━ she hears Paige’s voice prodding at her brain, nudging it like it’s some, high school pal. 

No, that’s not what she wants to do, she shifts her jaw, because these aren’t puppet strings and she knows that, but they hold her to Alison in some way, shape, or form ━ and perhaps they always will. She does, however, want to tug on those strings; she wants to show Alison that she’s not going to be pulled back and forth. Not again.

“Please don’t kiss me again,” the words manage to exit her throat, though every power within her body drains when they do. “Not until you know,” she adds.

It’s not said with malice, definitely not, but she makes sure Alison detects the hidden meaning: I know you’re confused and in pain, but you need to figure out what I already know: you like me ━ or maybe it’s beyond that. 

It takes everything in Emily’s strength, but she walks away from Alison without another word, hoping to get a clear mindset once she leaves the DiLaurentis house because breathing is becoming too hard with a heavy heart. Alison, on the other hand, stays in place, letting the words sting her chest, similar to the time Emily walked away from her in the front yard. This is different and she knows that, but it doesn’t hurt any less. In fact, it hurts in a different way. Emily is walking away from her and, yeah, she’ll be around, but not in the way she wants ━ not in the way she won’t  _ admit  _ she wants. 

Alison’s lower lip begins to quiver at the thought, staring off to the side because she can’t bear to watch the door close as Emily leaves. Part of her, however, knows she deserves the heart-broken sensation that consumes her chest ━ and maybe she always will.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to write this because I've seen so much hate directed toward last night's episode, primarily at the Emison scenes. So many people are upset because of Emily saying, "Please don't kiss me again," and that sucks because most of these negative comments don't even mention what she says after that: "Not until you know." (P.S. I never want to see Marlene hate in my comments, please. That's something I won't stand for).
> 
> Rant: Guys, guys, guys... do you not realize how big of an opening this is? Do you not detect the subtext within this scene? Emily is practically telling Alison she knows what she wants, but she won't allow herself to be sucked into a hole of confusion simply because Alison can't admit she wants the same thing (just yet). If the dialogue was left at "Please don't kiss me again," sure... that'd be a toughy. It wasn't, though. And Alison's lip quivering once Emily walked away tells a whole, new story. She's able to keep up a sturdy front when Emily is staring at her because she's trained herself to do so, but, as soon as Emily's back is facing her, Alison allows herself to break down because it's not like she wants to be a cold person, but she feels like she has to be to survive.
> 
> Okay, rant over. How about that episode? I, personally, loved it. Stoked for next Tuesday.
> 
> For those of you who follow my multi-chapter "Place Your Bet", you'll be getting an update email in approximately twelve hours because Ch 13 is almost ready to go.
> 
> Have a nice rest of the week, my friends!


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison asks Emily how it felt to come out and attempts to explain how she feels ━ Sometime after 7x11.

They sit close, but not too close.

In fact, there’s approximately a foot of space between them and that’s where Alison’s hand rests, simply lingering on the fabric of the couch as Emily’s eyes glance downwards. She purses her lips a second later, quietly sighing as she turns her attention back to the movie they’ve been watching since they finished a late dinner, though the credits are about to roll and, once that starts, she has no idea what’ll happen.

Roughly, they’ve been so hot and cold recently, and this little get-together takes place only days after she damn near blew up on Alison with that stinging, _“Please don’t kiss me again”_ statement. Sure, she said, _“Not until you know,”_ right after, but even she, herself, hated the words. God, after everything… was it a defense mechanism, or for Alison’s own good? Perhaps it’s both, she thinks; she’ll help Alison realize whatever she has to, no matter how long it takes, but there’s a line that needs to be drawn regarding _how_ she helps. Emily rubs her lips together and bows her head; admittedly, their situation has been on her mind ever since they kissed over a week ago and, fuck, her thoughts aren't getting any simpler or untangled.

Alison, likewise, has been thinking about whatever they are/whatever they _can_ be. Part of her knows what she wants, definitely, but how is she supposed to get those words out? It’s been years since she’s had to face feelings this strong or complex. Even when she was with Elliott-Archer- _whoever_ , the feelings she sensed in her stomach weren't _this_ deep ━ not in the slightest. These are completely new, and they’re nerve-wracking. Still, even if she gave into entertaining the idea of talking things through with Emily about their impending relationship, there remains that stupid, nagging self-doubt that pokes and prods at her mind every night. What if Emily leaves? What if Alison fucks up and ruins whatever chance they have at making a solid, romantic foundation? What if━

The credits for the movie roll onto the screen and Alison closes her eyes because it’s getting late and she doesn’t exactly want Emily to leave, but wouldn’t asking her to stay over be too… odd? Heck, for days, she’s been practically shoving Emily out the door for the sole purpose of not diving too far into her woes, so asking her to stay over may be a bit sketchy. Alison rolls her eyes at herself, rubbing her forehead as Emily watches her with a glancing, curious side-eye. Within seconds, however, the blonde reaches for the remote and shuts the television off, lightly sighing while Emily takes it as her cue to pack up, slowly shrugging her zip-up hoodie on as she stands.

Alison looks up at her, mouth opening and closing once before quietly grunting when her eyes dart along the floor, attempting to find something to say. Emily’s forehead creases, mostly because she sees the conflicted demeanor behind Alison’s actions, and she fixes her hair while lingering in the same spot.

“Will you be okay━” Emily beings to speak at the same time Alison does, ultimately stopping in the midst of her sentence.

“Can we…” she pauses and chuckles when the brunette closes her mouth, attentively listening.

Alison starts again, “Can we talk?”

She knows it’s a silly conversation-starter (and a bit terrifying) but doesn’t backtrack. Instead, her blue eyes study Emily who purses her lips and nods, cautiously sitting back down and getting situated in her previous spot away from Alison but facing the girl. Emily swallows hard and doesn’t dare look into Alison’s eyes for the time being, not knowing what to expect because the girl’s voice sounded so tiny and, quite frankly, scared.

“Is everything okay?” Emily tries to figure out what’s going on and, once she asks the question, Alison licks her lips in thought and looks at her own fingers, somewhat playing with her nails.

“Depends on your definition of okay,” comes the reply and the brunette wants to roll her eyes because this whole, “let’s dance around the main topic” thing is getting old.

Alison sees Emily’s jaw shift in response, a tinge of guilt attacking her chest.

“I’m sorry,” Alison somewhat shakes her head. “I’m… I don’t know. I guess I’m not okay.”

Obviously she already knew that, Alison thinks and internally mocks herself. She wants to open up to Emily, but how does one simply start spilling their guts when absolutely everything is bound to open a can of worms? She’s _never_ vented. Okay, maybe once, or perhaps twice, but this is beyond opening up to someone ━ and Emily isn’t just _someone_.

She takes a deep breath and tilts her head back, being watched by Emily who doesn’t say anything. When she blinks multiple times and re-focuses on brown eyes that stare back at her, Alison gently bites her inner cheek before taking yet another, deep breath. On the inside, Alison finds herself trying to keep her worries under control, psyching herself up to push through this conversation with Emily.

There has to be a first step, Alison reminds herself. There’s only one first step, and the journey will be rough but, hopefully, it’ll be worth it. Emily deserves to know what’s going on inside her head and she knows that.

“I have a question,” she begins, her voice sounding fragile as the brunette’s eyes are kind.

When Alison sees that she has Emily’s undivided attention, she asks, “How did it feel to come out?”

Emily is taken aback by the question and her eyes dart away from Alison’s, staring off somewhere toward the other end of the room while her mouth opens because she has no idea how to explain the feeling. Realistically, the question raises questions of her own, mostly revolving around the wonder of why Alison is asking her this particular thing, but she takes a moment to think. In the meantime, Alison doesn’t stray away from the question and, near Emily, brings her legs onto the couch and hugs them against her body while waiting, only staring at the brunette who finally turns to her like before.

“It felt… empowering, I guess,” Emily looks downwards with a partial frown. “Like… I knew not everyone would accept it and, God, that was terrifying, but…” she chews her lower lip for a split second, “I knew that I had the others. I knew I had my friends, and my parents, once they knew…” her smile is light and airy, shrugging to end the sentence. “It felt like I finally took the step I needed to become who I really am.”

“Didn’t it exhaust you, though? The thinking, the questioning…” Alison looks beside herself, eyes wide as she stares off at the coffee table, afterwards facing Emily again. “How did you deal with it?”

“Of course it exhausted me,” Emily shakes her head while exhaling. “Before I came out, I didn’t know _what_ to think. I didn’t know what I was feeling, or if I was defective. I wasn’t sure if everyone had those types of feelings for girls, or guys, or what. With you…” she looks away, clearing her throat, “I don’t know. All I knew was that there was something different about me and I hated it, at first. I think I hated it more because I knew people wouldn’t look at me the same, or so I thought.”

“But how did you learn to accept yourself? And _when_? I don’t…” her mouth hangs open but no more words follow, earning a knowing glance from Emily who attempts to leave it be ━ for now.

“It’s different for everyone, Ali,” Emily feels guilty for not being able to give her a clear-cut answer. “For me… I guess I just went with it. Luckily, I had Maya, at the time. She wasn’t afraid of being different, and maybe that rubbed off on me. I had someone to lean on and I allowed them to guide me through what I was feeling. I knew I couldn't do it alone.”

Alison listens, allowing the words to sink in.

The brunette continues, “If I had been able to come out on my own instead of being forced out, I’m not sure when I would’ve mentioned it to my parents. Anyone, actually. I knew I had to accept myself before expecting anyone else to accept me. I remember always thinking to myself, ‘Confidence. That’s all you need,’ but it’s not that simple. I don’t think it ever will be.”

The other girl raises her eyebrows in a form of silent agreement. When Emily doesn’t expand on her story further, Alison tries to drum up some courage, feeling words bubble in her throat but not enough to open her mouth. For the short silence that floats between them, Alison periodically lets her eyes dart to see Emily looking around, not knowing what else to say. Finally, the blonde allows herself to look at the other girl for longer than a second, having her voice be heard as a whisper.

“I’m sorry I keep pushing you away,” she confesses with a sadness laced in her words.

Emily looks at her, unaffected by the apology even though a number of questions and statements of her own swirl in her mind.

Alison continues, “I don’t know what’s going on with me. I mean… I _know_ , but I don’t. I don’t know who I am, or what I’m doing here. It’s like I got lost in everything, all at once.”

“You’ll find your way,” she settles on saying, though she wants to slap herself in the face because it sounded so ridiculous that she’s surprised Alison doesn’t laugh at the optimism.

“Eventually, maybe,” the blonde raises her eyebrows. “For now, I’m stuck snapping at everyone and having to deal with the consequences.”

“I just don’t understand why you won’t listen,” Emily’s forehead creases. “It’s like nothing I say matters.”

“That’s not it,” Alison shakes her head. “You know that’s not it.”

The brunette shrugs, “I _thought_ I knew that, but lately…”

“It’s complicated.”

“Things are always complicated, Alison.”

“No, I…” she trails off but ends the statement in a groan, closing her eyes before taking a deep breath and starting a new sentence, “I know what I want,” her focus locks with Emily’s, an unspoken conversation moving between them until she continues, “but I don’t know how to _explain_ what I want. It’s like… this entire, blank space in my mind that’s messing everything up. Everything’s blending together.”

Emily nods slowly, being cautious and hoping she understands what Alison is saying even though she feels like she’s walking on eggshells.

Alison continues with a whisper, “I don’t want you to leave.”

The brunette looks away, a hollow hole drilling through her heart until the other girl explains the statement with a quiet “…but that’s not why I kissed you, that night.”

“Do you know why you did?” is the only question that follows, being given parted lips and nervous, blue eyes matched with conflicted features.

“I know that it’s deeper than I can admit right now.”

Alison feels her heart wanting to escape her chest, mostly because she feels as though she just took the first step in opening up to someone who’s far past important to her and, now, Emily can take the information and run if she so chooses.

The brunette simply sits there, however, and the other girl waits for a reaction, or a face, or, well, _anything_. Instead, what she gets is solid eye contact for an extended amount of time, more silence consuming the room. In fact, it gets so bad that Alison wants to wave her hand in front of Emily, wondering if the girl is stunned by something. She doesn’t get the chance to, in the end, because a subtle grin appears on the brunette’s face as she inhales and exhales, nodding more so to herself before her features go back to being expressionless ━ almost as if she’s pushing her happiness away, for the time being.

“Please trust me when I say you’re not alone, Ali,” Emily pleads with soft eyes. “In every way, shape, or form… I’m here. You have me,” her voice holds conviction and Alison studies her features, wondering if she can detect any trace of lying.

She finds none after an extensive stare-down, causing a tiny, childlike smile to appear across her mouth because the air feels much lighter than it did an hour ago. Emily mirrors the expression, although she attempts to stop herself from smiling because she’s beginning to feel like an idiot considering the circumstances surrounding everything. She fails miserably, in reality, especially because Alison continues to look at her with a taste of vulnerability and trust that hasn't appeared in quite a while ━ because it hasn't been _felt_ in a while. Now, Alison allows herself to feel something more than self-loathing and regret, ultimately causing her to breathe out.

Admitting that you can’t admit something just yet. That’s the first step.

And it feels good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there was a canon Hannily scene that was somewhat like this, but I felt like it would be a valid intro question for an Emison talk regarding their feelings, or at least a simple, "hey, yeah, I feel it too" type of thing in a low-key way. Oh, Ali, my precious (and often stubborn) flower...
> 
> Anyone else stoked for Tuesday? I am! Anyone else nervous for Tuesday? I sure-as-hell am!


	39. Chapter 39

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What could have happened after Emily stormed out of Spencer’s barn in the opening scene of 7x12.

The door to Spencer’s barn slams shut behind an angry Emily, leaving four other, conflicted girls within the refurbished house’s walls to decide what their next move will be. They look at one another, breathing out because, quite frankly, no one knows what to do, though most opinions point toward the most ridiculous: let’s play the damn game.

“Okay,” Aria is first to say something, though it’s more of a reaction to Emily storming out than a statement.

“She doesn’t just get to walk out like that,” Hanna seems angry at her irrational friend who, for whatever reason, has been on edge for a bit now. “I may have been the one driving the car, but we have to be in this together.”

“We are, Hanna,” Spencer nods, her calm voice holding seriousness even though Hanna’s head tilt seems skeptical. “We are.”

Alison bites her inner cheek but exhales, finally muttering, “I’m going to talk to her.”

She walks out before anyone can stop her, having three pairs of eyes glued to her back as she hastily leaves the barn in order to find Emily while internally hoping that the girl didn’t sprint to her car and speed off already. 

Alison knows why Emily is frustrated and it’s definitely not the game ━ okay, maybe a little. It’s only been hours since their most recent blow-up, courtesy of Alison’s short fuse when it comes to Paige ━ not that she’s apologizing. Actually, she knows it was more than that; all she’s been doing is pushing Emily away time after time, and she can tell that it’s finally getting to the girl. Hell, it’s getting to  _ her  _ even though she’s the one doing it. It’s exhausting, in all honesty, but it’s not like accepting help has ever come easy to Alison, and perhaps it never will.

Turning a corner, most shrubbery leaves her sight and she sees Emily walking with an upset body language, advancing in the direction of her car while searching through her pocket to get her keys.

“Em,” Alison calls after the girl who keeps walking.

“Emily,” she tries again, this time with a desperate yet stern voice, causing the brunette to stop once she’s near the hood of her car.

Alison sees her come to a standstill and nods, more so to herself, before walking until she’s three feet away from Emily who somewhat looks up at the sky, presumably attempting to take a set of deep breaths before facing the blonde. Soon, as Alison rounds the other girl, the two become face to face even though Emily looks everywhere  _ but  _ at blue eyes that stare at her with a studying expression.

“I hate when you storm out like that,” Alison confesses with a creased forehead, watching Emily roll her eyes.

“You can’t expect me to stand around and listen to you guys toy with the idea of  _ actually  _ playing this damn game,” Emily stresses.

“Do we really have a choice, Em?”

“Of course we have a choice!” her voice raises a level. “You said it yourself. Why don’t we just give it to the police and let them handle it?!” 

“Because we all know how that’s going to end!” Alison keeps her tone even with the brunette’s. “I’m not saying I want to play it, but that seems like our only option, at this point.”

Emily lets out a dark laugh, turning away from Alison while shaking her head incredulously. The blonde stands there as Emily crosses her arms with no other rebuttal falling from her lips, causing Alison’s demeanor to soften a bit while figuring out what to say. After another ten seconds or so, she whispers, “Come on,” and nods toward her house.

“No, Ali, I’m going home,” Emily’s voice is cold yet tired, but Alison refuses to give up.

“No, you’re not,” she sounds lecturing. “Not right now. I’m not letting you drive home when you’re this angry. You can cool down inside.”

Brown eyes stare at her, wanting to protest the underlying request but not feeling the strength to because, quite frankly, Alison is right; if Emily leaves right now, who knows what could happen ━ especially because she questioned the board-game-from-hell’s motives  _ in front  _ of the game, itself. God, next thing they know… she could be driven off Rosewood’s lone bridge by a “deer.” So, in the end, she uncrosses her arms with a quiet huff and follows Alison who nods in acceptance of the reluctant nature, never speaking as they advance toward her house.

It isn’t long before Alison is pushing the door open, allowing them to wander inside. At first, Emily hesitates while stepping over the threshold, not exactly feeling up to being inside the walls of the DiLaurentis house so soon following their most recent fall-out. In simple terms, she wants to turn around and run without another word, but something within her mind tells her to hash it out and see what happens. The living room comes into view and Emily clenches her jaw while taking small steps, feeling as if she’s on autopilot while Alison flicks some lights on. When the blonde turns back to see Emily hesitantly looking at the couch with a shrunken-back attitude, she purses her lips and bows her head because she knows what memories are likely attacking the girl’s brain. Instead, however, Alison hides behind her poker face, especially when she’s turned to by Emily who sighs.

“It’s late, Ali. I should━”

“Sit,” a very tiny, knowing smile tugs at the corner of Alison’s lips as she cuts Emily off, watching the girl visibly bite her inner cheek before following instruction, cautiously getting situated on the couch as if it burns.

Alison wants to frown at how out-of-place Emily comes off as. She never intended for it to hurt this bad, though she assumes it’s more like a double-sided sword, nowadays. Emily shifts on the cushion as Alison walks away, set on getting them some water. 

A minute passes before Alison brings their glasses of water into the living room, carefully placing them on the coffee table in front of the couch while listening to the sound of a barely audible “Thanks” come from Emily who still doesn’t glance at the blonde. Alison’s eyes bore into Emily’s temple when she first sits down, studying the girl’s body language and looking at how her hands are clasped together as she rests her elbows on her thighs, somewhat hunched over while perched on the edge of the couch. Overall, Alison can tell she’s feeling anxious.

“You know that we just want this game to be over, right?” Alison tries with an unreadable tone. “It’s not like we  _ want  _ to play, but it’s like we  _ have  _ to.”

“We don’t  _ have  _ to do anything,” Emily turns to her. “I already told you… I refuse to let whoever-the-hell this is just… bat me back and forth like a mouse. I’m done.”

“We’re in this together, Em.”

“Are we?” Emily’s eyes widen with disbelieving features, looking at the coffee table in front of them because the eye contact with Alison became way too much within seconds. “Every time I think we are, something happens and…” her mouth opens and closes. “I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

At the tone, Alison starts to detect an underlying, “this is more about us than it is about them” worry. She wants to nod and actually bring up what they had briefly discussed hours prior, but she knows that it wouldn’t do any good while Emily is in this current state. Instead, she continues the conversation while allowing it to flow in both a “friend group” way and a “one on one” way. 

“We are,” Alison assures the other girl. “Sure, we’ve hit bumps along the way but we  _ are  _ in this together.”

“Then why doesn’t it seem that way?” the brunette worries. “Why does it feel like everything  _ but  _ that? We can be in a room together and pretend everything’s okay while saying that nothing can tear us apart, but is that really true?”

“Yes, it is,” her voice holds conviction. “We care far too much for each other to let anything happen.”

“I don’t think that board game cares,” Emily mumbles.

“We’re stronger than that game, Em. You have to believe that,” Alison’s throat tightens up. “Don’t you?”

Emily closes her eyes while rubbing her lips together and bowing her head, eventually whispering, “I don’t know.”

Tears spring into the blonde’s eyes but, instead of letting them fall, she blinks them away and takes in a sharp breath, matching Emily’s voice as she says, “Well I do. I have to.”

No response comes. Realistically, Emily shifts her jaw and looks elsewhere, though Alison isn’t sure if the girl allows the words to sink in or not. On the surface, it looks like the words begin to peel away some of the brunette’s insecurities, though it’s not like she wants to let them. Maybe that’s Emily’s way of getting some sort of payback for the past however-many days of enduring how cold Alison’s been acting toward whatever they are; perhaps she’s trying to fight fire with fire ━ or, in this case, insecurity with insecurity.

But who will win  _ that  _ battle?

Alison sighs and Emily side-eyes her, still attempting to evade eye contact. Silence filters through the room, becoming heavier with each, passing second, as the two breathe as much as possible because it’s getting hard when the realization that their recent conversation was nearly scrubbed down to debating about if  _ they’ll  _ always be together ━ as, well,  _ whatever they are _ . The constant confusion makes Alison shake her head, now being actually turned to by Emily who, afterwards, goes right back to looking away.

Swallowing hard, Alison’s eyes dart to Emily’s hands as they rest, clasped together, atop her knees, and she shifts as close as she can without crossing a boundary since the brunette made it clear that some decisions need to be made before something happens between them again. Once there’s roughly five inches of cushion between them, Alison puts her hand over Emily’s, somewhat holding them because she wants the girl to know that they really won’t be split up by anything ━ especially not a silly “game.”

Not even her insecurities.

Emily feels her lips part at the gesture, somewhat breathing out as she looks at their hands, before taking a small risk and unclasping her own so she can partially entwine their fingers. Alison senses her shaking fingertips and manages to crack a semi-hidden smile, bowing her head while they remain sitting on the couch, listening to the night’s minutes tick away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Wednesday... another PLL hangover.
> 
> By the way (and I've been meaning to say this), if ya'll ever want to discuss PLL, you can always message me on here. Otherwise, my inbox on Tumblr is always open ("capn-charlie") and I'll gladly listen to whatever you have to say.
> 
> Other than that, I hope you enjoyed this little one-shot. Last night, our Emison scenes were scarce (you're frustrated, I know), but they held so much meaning and I'm happy with the small development. Alison's comforting voice with Emily even though Emily snapped at her, Alison allowing herself to be vulnerable in her classroom with Emily, Alison finally telling Emily that she's not playing the game alone (since Emily has been repeatedly telling Alison that she's not alone)... it's all great. Baby steps. Time is limited, yes, but baby steps. It'll be worth it.


	40. Chapter 40

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alison confesses that she knows why she kissed Emily (in 7x10), along with why she has a difficult time opening up ━ Sometime after 7x12.

Alison stares at the dark ceiling, her eyes darting along the white color that’s only disrupted by the shadows of some tree branches outside the window. She breathes deeply every now and then, perhaps to make sure she’s awake instead of simply dreaming about the girl who lies next to her.

Emily, similarly, has her eyes open, though she lies on her side facing the opposite wall so she can’t see what Alison is doing and/or if she’s asleep. Realistically, she’s only facing away from the girl because she couldn’t take the building tension anymore.

For days, they’ve been on and off regarding how they act towards one another. There have been subtle gestures here and there, the two girls taking turns initiating fluffy acts of romance ━ though neither know what to call it anymore; actually, they’re more like tender gestures resulting from a cluster of unknown, mounting feelings, leaving both girls dazed and confused whenever Emily’s hand brushes Alison’s hair behind her ear, or each time Alison gives Emily eyes which hold love that seems almost tangible.

Those past few days, however, also held shitty circumstances, primarily coming out of whoever became the board game’s latest victim. Oddly enough, the game has almost pushed Emily and Alison further together, preying on their fears and getting them to lean on one another while simultaneously trying to tear their group apart. It’s been shaky, that’s for sure, but Alison almost wonders if it’s a sign she should take, sort of like an excuse to confess to Emily how she feels.

Because she knows how she feels.

In fact, the reason why Emily is lying in her bed right now is because Alison decided that she didn’t want to sleep alone due to the board game ━ though it’s far deeper than that and the blonde wishes she had the guts to own up to it. Internally, she has a hunch that Emily knows, but the brunette is far too understanding of the whole “I don’t know what to call myself and I have no idea what these feelings are” mindset, so she hasn’t mentioned it and, instead, has only been somewhat…  _ nudging  _ Alison along ━ or that’s what the blonde assumes.

Alison swallows hard, suddenly wanting to talk to Emily about what she’s thinking, especially when she remembers the night they spent together years ago and, God, this feels all too familiar. She looks at the color of the air, noting how similar the darkness is in comparison to how it was years back. The softness of the situation doesn’t help, either; Emily always wants to protect her and make sure Alison is okay, which occasionally causes the blonde to feel guilty when she remembers how many times she couldn’t reciprocate those gestures.

It’s time for that to change, her mind decides while she takes a deep breath with briefly-clasped eyelids, afterwards opening them to stare at the ceiling once more.

“Em,” she whispers, pausing for a moment or so, “are you asleep?”

She can make out the faint sound of Emily opening her mouth to take in a distinct yet slow breath, waiting another group of seconds before answering, “No,” with a mirrored, whispered tone.

“I think I know,” Alison forces the words out, her body feeling like it can’t move while her throat tenses up.

At the statement, Emily cautiously rolls onto her back, looking in Alison’s direction with a creased forehead and confused demeanor. The blonde turns to her in the same manner, though she has a hard time locking eyes with curious brown. The other girl must have seen the timidity in her attitude because, within seconds, she’s rolling onto her side to face Alison who pushes herself to do the same, staring at one another. Emily’s mouth opens, wanting to tell Alison that she doesn’t really know what she’s trying to say, and the blonde senses this as she partly bows her head with sealed, nervous lips.

“I think I know why I kissed you that night.”

Again, the brunette doesn’t know what to say, so she stays silent as she looks into blue eyes that come off as conflicted.

“I mean…” Alison swallows hard, “I knew…  _ before _ . I just couldn’t admit that I knew.”

“Why?” she manages to ask.

“When you’ve been fucked over as much as I’ve been, you give up on people.  _ And  _ yourself.”

Emily frowns, but the blonde continues, “I don’t want to make excuses, but I don’t think it’s ever going to come easy for me. Not anymore. Even years ago…”

“I’m not like those people. I’ve always been here,” the brunette tries, her voice unreadable and even.

“But you’ve thought the worst of me before, and who knows if that’ll ever happen again,” Alison knows it’s a shitty thing to bring up, but it’s a valid concern that’s been nipping at her brain for quite some time now; if Emily wants her to be honest, then it’ll have to be with every single thought and memory.

No answer, but the blonde swears she can see the faint beginning of tears forming in brown eyes that don’t stare back at her anymore.

“I’m not bringing it up to hurt you, Em,” she attempts to provide some form of comfort, though it doesn’t stop a lone tear from escaping the corner of the girl’s eye, sinking into the pillow.

“I know you’re not,” Emily replies, her voice sinking below a whisper. “Ali, I don’t think you understand how much I regret believing that you could be capable of something like that. God, I was so stupid.”

“No, you weren’t,” Alison frowns. “If I hadn’t always lied to you guys…”

They both take a deep breath.

“You’ve always been here,” the blonde states with conviction. “I know that you’ve always been here, and sometimes I wish I  _ didn’t  _ know. Maybe it would be easier if I didn’t.”

“What would be easier?”

“Dealing with what I’ve been feeling.”

“What have you been feeling?”

“Everything,” she breathes out with a sad smile.

Emily allows the answer to linger, wishing she knew the precise weight of which the word holds. Like before, brown eyes meet blue and they hold a silent conversation full of  _ what if _ ’s and questions that neither girl has the answers to. The brunette feels a newer question making its way to the tip of her tongue, desperately wanting to be heard because it’s starting to feel like it’s now or never and, although she’s asked something similar in a previous situation, this seems much more intimate. So, this time, she doesn’t force the question out and, instead, lets it be heard with a softness that causes Alison’s heart to speed up.

“Why did you kiss me that night?”

Unlike last time, Alison doesn’t stray away from the question, nor does she act like it drills into her ears as if it’s unwanted; she simply stares at Emily with vulnerable eyes, not wanting to fuck up whatever answer is about to tumble from her lips because, lately, she’s sucked at explaining herself ━ or hasn’t she always?

“Because I wanted to,” Alison confesses. “Because I needed to let my walls down for someone who I know, deep down, would never hurt me. For someone who deserves…  _ everything _ .”

“Why didn’t you say that when I first asked?” is the only question that follows, her words holding confusion and maybe a quiet plea.

“I panicked,” Alison looks away. “You deserve everything, Em, and I… I don’t think I can live up to that.”

“That’s not your decision to make.”

“But I can’t give myself to you if I’m just waiting for something bad to happen,” her voice cracks. “I can’t spend every day making both of us happy  _ just  _ so I can accidentally fuck up and watch you leave again. I can’t.”

“Ali…”

“Look,” Alison sniffles sharply, “I’m not telling you this because I’m expecting something in return.”

“Then why  _ are  _ you telling me this?” Emily’s mouth settles into a frown, not knowing what’s going through the blonde’s mind because she’s been so back and forth within this single conversation.

“Because I don’t know what’s going to happen and I wanted you to know how I feel.”

“What do you mean?” the brunette shifts her body so she can lean on her hand, her elbow digging into the pillow only a foot away from Alison’s head.

At first, Alison doesn’t want to dive into a dark subject, especially because the girl is now semi-hovering above her and all she wants to do is lean up and kiss soft lips that she’s (admittedly) been missing for over a week now. Brown eyes study her features as she thinks, causing Alison to crumble with a broken whisper.

“This board game…” she starts. “You never know what could happen, and I…” the words die in her throat.

“Don’t, Ali,” Emily shakes her head with a severe frown, not liking what she sees swimming in those blue eyes.

“But it’s true,” Alison’s throat tightens up and tears spring into her eyes. “Emily, this game was designed to chew us up and spit us back out while tearing our group apart. It’s just waiting for the right moment,” her tone sounds desperate before it lowers. “You never know if we’re next.  _ Us _ . Just you and I.”

“I’d never let anything happen to us,” the brunette firmly disagrees, keeping a solid voice. “I’d never let it tear us apart, Alison.”

Alison smiles sadly, “I don’t know if either of us can stop it.”

“As long as we stay strong, we can.”

“But what if I’m not strong?” a tear dribbles down Alison’s cheek. “What if I  _ can’t  _ be anymore? I’m tired.”

“You have me,” Emily begs. “When you’re tired and not feeling up to anything, you still have me,” she tries to knock some sense into the girl somewhat below her, “but you have to  _ let  _ me be your support, Alison. I can’t force you to do that.”

“Em…” Alison’s mouth opens and closes for a second, whatever thought-of words dying in her throat because, really, she has no idea what to say anymore.

Emily studies her shimmering eyes further, watching a tear roll down her smooth skin until it falls onto the pillow where her head lies. The brunette looks pained, especially when she sees another tear sneak out of the corner of Alison’s eye. This time, however, she reaches out and uses her thumb to wipe the girl’s cheeks, staring at her with adoration and subtle desire while Alison feels herself wanting to melt at the gesture. Meanwhile, Emily thinks of everything that they’ve talked about within the past however-many minutes, only coming up with one word in response to her shortened name falling from Alison’s lips most recently.

“Please,” she whispers with an underlying message, the word holding so many different meanings while she watches Alison’s lips part at her voice.

It feels like centuries pass after Emily speaks. They stare at one another while the air thickens, causing everything to feel as if it’s in slow motion while shadows dance across the ceiling. Alison waits while weighing her options, though her mind gains a massive cloudiness because she can’t stop staring up at Emily whose expression is wanting yet careful, both hoping they haven’t misunderstood each other’s cryptic words. 

It takes another minute or so but, finally, Alison gains some courage and a sense of not caring about how many walls she’s put up. She gently places her hand on Emily’s neck and brings her downwards while meeting her halfway, kissing her with a sweetness that they’ve both missed. It’s slow yet desperate, not being rushed in any way, shape, or form while Emily guides Alison back down to the pillow so she’s more comfortable. In the meantime, Alison’s hand cups Emily’s jaw, slowing the kiss down even further until it trails off into tiny pecks with each, short embrace lingering until they back up to look at one another through lidded eyes. Alison detects a hidden question swirling within Emily’s gaze, something that makes her heart flutter and stomach flip while she barely breathes, and she answers the question by giving the brunette a gentle smile, followed by a head nod that ends with both girls leaning in for a kiss that doesn’t break anytime soon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this is my 40th one-shot. That's ridiculous. Hopefully PLL provides me with more scenes that I can use to my advantage.
> 
> Heads-up: I don't know how many of ya'll follow me on Tumblr, but I've started writing these things called "drabbles" (word brought to my attention by an anon messager). By my own definition, they're less than 1K words each so I don't classify them as one-shots, therefore I don't post them on here. So, if you'd like to see them (because they're Emison, of course), they're on my Tumblr ("capn-charlie") and you can find them under my "emison" tag. Or just scroll through a million GIFs and find them woven within. I think I have 4 posted, as of today, May 1st.


	41. Chapter 41

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.D. sneaks into the newborn baby’s nursery, resulting in a protective (and somewhat irrational) Emily ━ Established Emison ━ Originally requested as a drabble.

Emily stands still in the DiLaurentis house’s living room, the space being consumed by darkness aside from the faint lights coming from appliances, clocks, and other, small sconces. She squints her eyes, trying to see if something looks out of place, a high-alert attitude consuming her demeanor because, just two minutes ago, she heard a few, subtle sounds coming from downstairs while she and Alison slept on the second floor, only a couple of rooms away from their newborn baby girl.

She wanders into the kitchen after picking up something to protect herself with ━ A.K.A. the closest kitchen knife, having been slid into a wooden block near the entrance of the room. Through exhausted eyes, she looks around, still seeing and hearing nothing ━ until ten seconds pass and the silence is disrupted by movement upstairs.

Emily tiptoes toward the sound, gingerly ascending the staircase, knife in hand, while hoping she doesn’t find anything because A.D. has been lost in the shadows ━ no pun intended ━ as of late, only causing their group of five to become more paranoid. Out of all of them, Emily believes she’s gotten the worst of the anxiety, especially because of the lack of sleep she gets with a new baby wailing every night. Alison matches her exhaustion, though she seems to be staying level-headed for the most part ━ or maybe she only figures she needs to keep Emily’s worries at bay.

Suddenly, Emily hears a creak behind her, coming from somewhere near the baby’s room, and turns in that direction, ready to barge into the space with the weapon she’s wielding, but she doesn’t get a chance because, within seconds, a hand lands on her shoulder and she whips around, unintentionally giving Alison a tiny cut on the side of her wrist.

“Jesus, Emily,” she tries to keep her voice down.

“Oh my God, are you okay?” Emily’s mouth opens and nothing more comes out. “I’m so sorry, Ali. I didn’t mean…” her throat begins to tighten up, hands shaking.

“I’m fine,” Alison holds her own wrist, making sure she isn’t bleeding much, if at all.

When she sees brown eyes sadly staring at her, she frowns, more so because she knows how much of a hard time Emily’s been having when it comes to dealing with everything.

“Hey,” the blonde cups her cheeks, “I promise. I’m okay.”

She lifts her hand for Emily to study the mark, “See, it’s not bad.”

Emily bows her head, feeling Alison’s cautious fingers wrap around her wrist as the girl brings her back into their bedroom, cracking the door shut behind them. Once Alison puts the knife on their dresser, they both sit on the edge of the bed, knees brushing together.

“Em, I’m worried about you,” Alison looks at her. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know,” Emily can’t make eye contact with the other girl.

“Well, why were you awake, anyway? She hasn’t cried tonight, so you obviously didn’t have to get up to take care of her,” Alison refers to the little girl sleeping rooms away, noting that the baby’s been sound asleep for hours.

“I heard something,” comes the confession as Emily bows her head. “Downstairs, I mean. I heard noises, and I went down there to check, but then I heard creaking near her room and I…”

“This house isn’t all that new, Em. It could be the wind,” Alison tries to provide some comfort.

“No, I know the sounds this house makes. They don’t match up.”

“You need sleep,” she says. “You look  _ exhausted _ .”

Emily doesn’t budge; she simply stares at the floor while Alison gets up, offering both of her hands so she can pull the girl to her feet. The brunette accepts, coming face to face with Alison who leans in and gives her a peck on the lips, whispering, “Come on,” before tugging her toward the side of the bed. Before they can even sit down, the little baby a few rooms over starts crying loudly, almost like a terrified wail, and both girls sprint to the source of the sound. The nursery’s door is cracked open, opposing how it usually is: completely latched shut. Internally, as they barge into the room, Emily realizes that, before Alison grabbed her shoulder, the door was already cracked open, and now she’s ten times more freaked out as they enter the space to see a black figure at the window, ready to jump out.

Alison goes to pick up the crying, newborn baby as Emily tries to reach the window before the figure dives out. She doesn’t make it, however, and sticks her head through the open window before having to pull herself back in when the glass pane makes a sliding sound, immediately and sharply sliding downwards until it shatters into a million, tiny pieces. Emily stares at the glass, mouth open, and Alison cuddles the baby as much as she can, wanting to burst into tears but not finding the strength to.

Suddenly, Emily turns around with an angry yet dangerous look on her face, passing Alison and walking through the doorway as the blonde gets out a desperate “Emily, no. Call the cops and have them deal with it.”

“No, I am  _ done  _ with these games, Alison,” Emily storms down the stairs, the other girl in tow as she carefully yet firmly holds the baby. “This freak just snuck into the house and threatened our baby.  _ And  _ tried to kill me with a rigged window. I’m going to find whoever-the-hell they are because I am completely━”

“Em,” Alison looks like she’s about to cry, “I want them to be gone just as much as you do, but you don’t know what they’re capable of. You said it yourself… they nearly just beheaded you with a window. Who knows what they’d do if you were face to face.”

“So you expect me to sit back and let the police handle it? Just like they ‘handled it’ years ago? We’re  _ pawns _ , Ali. We’re sitting ducks until the next time they get bored and decide to pay a visit to the baby’s nursery,” she fights back.

“I’m  _ begging  _ you,” Alison swallows hard. “Don’t go. Don’t leave us alone.”

She can see Emily visibly crumble, her lower lip quivering before she bites it between her teeth to stop herself from looking as if she’s going to fall to her knees, though that’s how she feels, at the moment. The brunette walks away, moving over to the wall’s light switch and flicking it on until it illuminates a good chunk of the living room. Alison kisses the baby’s head, soothing the little girl who finally begins to drift off again. After, the blonde looks upwards to see Emily dialing the phone with shaking fingertips, raising the device to her ear a moment later with a clenched jaw, swallowing hard before her raspy voice says, “I’d like to report a break-in.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update: There's an "Emison Drabble" link on my Tumblr page ("capn-charlie") for a quick click to my list of drabbles. This was originally requested as a drabble, but it became somewhat stretched so I decided to post it here. Kudos to the anon who prompted it.


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily opens up to Alison about the dollhouse ━ Sometime after 7x13 ━ Originally requested as a drabble; may be triggering.

Alison and Emily sit on the couch, separated by barely one cushion once they got back from Spencer’s barn where the group discussed the board game and their next move ━ no pun intended. 

Ever since they got home, the blonde’s thoughts have been swirling, not because of the game, but because of something Hanna said, and what Spencer replied:

_ “I don’t know what’s more disturbing… this board game, or the dollhouse.” _

_ “I’d rather pick neither.” _

Alison has thought about the dollhouse before ━ or what she actually knows about it ━ but never got any further information out of the girls. She’s respected their wishes not to speak about it, mostly because, from the sounds of it, that place was beyond terrifying and scarring, but it doesn’t make her any less curious. In all honesty, this board game makes her even more curious, especially because it seems like it’ll go to extreme lengths to make them pay for whatever they’ve done. How could the dollhouse compare? How could  _ anything  _ be worse than a board game equipped with strange letters, documents, and dares that make them do things that’ll induce self-torture? She swallows hard, feeling like she’s freezing up even though she desperately wants to ask Emily about it ━ or at least hint at wanting to know more.

“Em…” she pushes her voice to be heard.

“Hm?” the brunette turns her body so they’re face to face, muting the TV because the other girl’s tone sounded way too cautious and maybe a bit sad.

Emily props her legs onto the cushion between them, leaning her elbow on the back of the couch while studying Alison’s timid body language.

“Nevermind,” Alison shakes her head, only partially glancing at Emily, “forget it.”

“No,” the word is light and comforting, “what’s up?”

Alison takes a deep breath with closed eyes as she bows her head, afterwards looking at Emily who appears confused and far more concerned than before.

“I just…” she pauses to bite her lip, “I can’t help but wonder what happened… every time someone mentions the dollhouse.”

Emily takes her elbow off the back of the couch, resting her hands in her lap while her eyes dart away from Alison who continues.

“I know no one wants to talk about it, but I feel like I’m left in the dark.”

“That’s probably for the best, Alison,” the brunette’s tone is hoarse but not upset, simply not knowing why the other girl  _ wouldn’t  _ want to be in the dark about this.

“If you don’t want to tell me because you don’t want to think about what happened, that’s perfectly okay,” Alison speaks gently while making eye contact with the girl across from her, “but don’t hold out on telling me just because you want to protect me.”

“Ali, if I tell you… I can’t take it back. That scares me,” Emily bites her lower lip. “I don’t want you to have to…” the sentence is never finished, her brown eyes darting away.

“I won’t ask you to take it back, but I really want to know. It’s been bothering me for so long,” her voice sounds pleading, staying just above a whisper. “I can’t fully empathize with you, Em, and maybe I’ll never be able to, but I can at least attempt. I  _ want  _ to. I need to know what happened, though.”

After a round of silence, Emily mutters, “Okay,” even though it hardly comes out, slowly breathing and psyching herself up to the task. Meanwhile, Alison mimics the girl’s position on the couch, crossing her legs as they sit, practically brushing knees. She waits.

“Honestly,” Emily begins with a deep breath, “if there  _ is  _ a hell in existence… that’s it. Or it comes pretty damn close.”

Alison frowns already, listening to the words while studying her features.

“It was torture. That’s the only word to fully describe it. To sum it up, at least,” she shifts her jaw. “Every day, there were tasks for us to do, usually to…  _ hurt  _ each other. This board game that we have now… it doesn’t compare. It’s trying to turn us against one another while we look each other in the eyes, but, in the dollhouse, we didn’t have that. We didn’t have a chance to apologize, or try to make things work,” her eyes well up with tears, similar to Alison’s.

Emily rubs her lips together before continuing, “I’d fall asleep most nights after staring at the ceiling, feeling sick to my stomach. Not because I was being starved on some days, but because I’d lie there and wonder what would happen once A got bored.”

The blonde sniffles hard and grabs the girl’s hands with shaking fingertips, holding their now-entwined fingers between them.

“Then, when I woke up in the morning, there would be a moment of hope that I was in my own bed,” Emily nods, more so to herself, “but I’d quickly realize that it was only designed to feel that way. It was synthetic. Everything in that place was. Even the sunlight.”

Alison feels tears streaming down her own cheeks, but Emily’s voice seems to be holding up as she cries less, almost like she’s allowed the memories to sink in.

“Whenever that generator kicked on, none of us knew what was going to happen. It never meant anything good,” her laugh is sad, afterwards sniffling hard as Alison adjusts their clasped hands.

She shakes her head before sealing her lips and taking a moment to breathe, quietly continuing.

“I’m sure more than one of us thought about ending it,” the confession falls from her lips as if it’s the simplest thing in the world, causing Alison to want to break down with a choked-up sob coming from her throat even though she attempts to hold it down.

“We didn’t know if we were living for our families anymore, or the ones we love,” Emily’s body shakes every now and then, but she holds herself together. “We had no idea if we’d see anyone again, but I think we knew we had each other. Even though we sometimes had to base it on each other’s screams, or what we thought were each other’s real screams… we knew. I think that’s what kept us from giving into the voices we came accustomed to hearing. The ones that told us to let go.”

Alison looks at Emily, both girls’ cheeks covered with tears even though the blonde appears way worse in terms of breaking down. Emily smiles sadly, ending her story with a quiet “It was a scary place.”

“Emily, I am so sorry,” Alison shakes her head, her mouth staying open because she can’t formulate another sentence. “I am just so sorry.”

Emily nods as much as she can with a quivering lip, bowing her head slightly but the blonde reaches out and cups her jaw so they make eye contact. At the gesture, the brunette’s eyes well up with far more tears than before, multiple drops streaming down her cheeks on contact. She tries closing her eyes and looking away, not wanting to watch the extreme sympathy swirl within an apologetic, blue gaze, but Alison’s comforting voice forces her to.

“Look at me,” Alison sounds desperate, so she does. “You four are some of the strongest people I know, if not  _ the  _ strongest people I know.”

The brunette shakes her head, not agreeing as her face warms up with tears.

“Yes, you are,” now, her voice is audibly choked-up. “You, alone, are so damn strong, Emily Fields.”

“I didn’t think I’d ever come home,” is the only response she earns, watching Emily cry harder.

“But you did,” Alison tries to make her smile, albeit they’re both messes. “You’re home. With  _ me _ . You’re here and you’re safe, okay?”

Her thumbs wipe away as many tears as they can, whispering, “I’m going to keep you safe, I promise.” 

Emily nods as much as she can, crying hard as Alison pulls her into a hug, afterwards holding the brunette tightly and kissing her on the head. She allows Emily to cry against her chest, never letting up on the embrace as the girl’s body shakes whenever she sobs hard. Alison, herself, continues to sniffle, though her tears start to die down as she focuses more on the girl that’s clung to her. Alison’s eyes slam shut, again kissing Emily on the head as a wave of regret hits her in the chest; tonight, she learned something, and it isn’t something she could’ve ever imagined.

The dollhouse was worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos to the anon who sent me this drabble idea via Tumblr.


	43. Chapter 43

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reinvented 7x14 baby-store scene; Emily accompanies Alison on her A.D. task instead of Aria ━ Originally requested as a drabble.

“Ali, wait,” Emily’s cautious, protective voice holds Alison back from entering the store, not knowing what this trip is going to put the blonde through. “Just…” she doesn’t know what to say even though millions of questions and phrases flow through her mind, “are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Alison swallows hard and studies the street where cars drive past them, the vehicles containing people who have no idea what sick games are being played within the town’s walls. She barely looks at Emily who stares at her with a frown and creased forehead, waiting for an answer. Finally, blue eyes meet brown even though Alison hates the sympathy she sees beneath the surface of Emily’s features, especially because it’s not like she particularly wants to take part in this game but, of course, they vowed to stick together.

“No, I’m not sure,” she answers, “but it’s not like I have a choice. A.D. chose me for this round, so I  _ have  _ to play his or her game.”

Emily sighs, “What if I take your turn?”

“A.D. will know, Em,” Alison sounds tired. “I have to do this.”

The brunette nods and bows her head while the other girl stares at her for longer, wanting to say something but not having the strength to.

“Thank you for coming with me,” Alison speaks quietly, getting Emily to look at her again.

“Of course,” she gives her a tiny smile even though it doesn’t hide her nervousness worth a damn, watching the blonde turn away so she can walk into the instructed store.

Emily follows Alison, entering a colorful, baby store and suddenly feeling ten times more guilty for the girl who frowns, though she doesn’t look back at the brunette because she doesn’t want to witness her expression. Alison takes a deep breath even though she feels sick to her stomach, simply looking around until she’s approached by a store worker who hands her a scanning tool.

Meanwhile, Emily continues looking around, noting the handful of soon-to-be mothers scanning items and fawning over the different garments. The brunette bites her inner cheek, watching Alison’s body language seem sluggish and regretful as she scans items. On the surface, Alison looks like she’s freezing up, her lower lip turning into a bigger frown with every item she tags with the tool in her hand, and Emily approaches.

“Ali━”

“I’m fine,” she snaps, continuing what she’s doing. “I just have to scan some items and we can leave.”

Emily nods, not wanting to piss the girl off even further because she hears her voice waver. She sticks by Alison’s side as she continues, her eyes still searching the room and feeling overwhelmed, primarily on the blonde’s behalf because this must be the biggest guilt trip ever. Alison’s hand begins to shake and she suddenly stops scanning the item she points the handheld tool at, her lower lip quivering as Emily takes a step to the side and tilts her head to look at the blonde’s features. She gives her an understanding yet sympathetic face, gently prying the tool out of the girl’s hand with a soft “Here, let me do the rest.”

Alison relinquishes the scanner, nodding as much as she can with a tightening throat. She waits for Emily to finish, watching the brunette quickly zap the remaining, three or so items before they’re face to face again.

“All set,” Emily whispers, studying Alison’s attitude even though the girl wants to look away.

They approach the same woman that Alison had previously talked to, walking up to the store’s desk and putting the tool on the counter. The lady looks up and smiles at the two, getting out a cheery “Oh, I didn’t know you brought a friend with you.”

Emily forces a smile but it falls within seconds.

“Don’t forget this,” she puts a bag on the surface of the counter, being looked at by both Emily and Alison.

“What is it?” the brunette asks, not knowing if Alison will be able to speak since she seems so broken, at the moment.

The woman turns to Alison, “I’m going to assume she knows…”

Alison frowns, “Knows what?”

“About the donor,” she carefully says, not wanting to reveal something that she’s not supposed to. “Some people tend to keep it a secret from their friends and family, so I wasn’t sure.”

The blonde glances at the girl beside her, Emily looking cautious whereas Alison appears as if her entire world is about to shatter due to whatever’s inside the bag. Carefully, Alison’s shaking hands reach into the gift bag and she feels a cord between her fingers, gingerly lifting it out of the surrounding tissue paper even though everything feels like it’s in slow motion. Emily waits, her breathing paused for the time being, and they watch a necklace being pulled out of the bag.

Out of the corner of Emily’s eye, she sees Alison’s lips part while practically hearing both of their hearts drop further into their chests, little, blocked letters spelling the brunette’s name being hung on the necklace’s cord. Alison doesn’t have the strength to look at Emily, staying catatonic as the girl next to her can’t find her own words, desperately hoping it’s some mistake because they haven’t spoken about what’s happened between them, nor━ 

“Where is it?!” Alison all but shouts at the woman who stares at her as if she’s going crazy ━ because she feels like she is.

“What are you looking for?” she watches the blonde rummage through the bag, meanwhile Emily’s eyes water even though she takes a step toward Alison with a quiet “Ali…”

“The puzzle piece,” Alison looks at the lady behind the counter. “They must have told you to put it somewhere.”

“I’m not sure━”

“I need it, okay? I need that damn puzzle piece,” at the blonde’s tone, the woman holds her hands up as Emily holds onto Alison’s shoulders, feeling her tense up at the contact but not backing away.

“Ali, stop,” Emily’s careful voice makes Alison take a step back from the desk, the girl walking away as the brunette follows even though she has no idea what’s bound to happen now that the information is in their court.

She sees Alison walk up to a crib decoration, staring at the puzzle piece dangling from the light-colored mobile before she grabs it with a woozy attitude that Emily worries about. Before she can react, Alison storms out of the store.

“Alison,” Emily follows, not being acknowledged.

Somehow, the brunette manages to catch up to Alison who stops at the car, taking deep breaths while her hand is pressed against the window, partly hunched over as if she’s going to be sick.

“Hey,” Emily crouches down with a severely creased forehead, “breathe.”

Alison won’t look at her, her eyes darting away as she tries to not hyperventilate. Emily doesn’t know what to do, so she looks around the sidewalk before turning back to the blonde and saying, “Come on, we need to get you home.”

Again, Alison won’t look at Emily, constantly trying to evade eye contact while attempting to breathe as much as she can. She finally finds the strength to stand up, however, and Emily stares at her. Alison, after a small, internal struggle, decides to look into Emily’s eyes while they have a broken-up conversation of dense feelings and confusion, but turns away so she can open the car door. Emily, nodding with pursed lips and blurry eyes, walks around the front of the car and slides into the driver’s seat, slamming the door shut and simply staring out the windshield.

Emily, through her peripheral vision, sees Alison beginning to break down heavily, bringing her hands up to her face and almost curling up in the passenger’s seat while crying hard. Meanwhile, the brunette remains staring out the front window of the car, listening to the girl cry before reaching out and finding the courage to rub her back even though she, herself, feels like she’s crumbling. Alison stops shaking for the time being, hesitantly lifting her head to look in Emily’s direction, watching tears stream down the brunette’s cheeks before shaking her head and looking away. Emily, seeing this, grabs her hand and is surprised when Alison entwines their fingers with a serious grip and desperation, both girls knowing that they’ll have to be in this together if they’re going to make it through this nightmare, including the night ahead. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quite a few people requested this reinvention, so I hope I did it justice. Although (on-screen) we saw Emily looking absolutely shocked (rightfully so), I think she would've put Alison's well-being ahead of her own if she had been with her at the "reveal," which is why she seems much more put-together in this.
> 
> Again, please don't come into my comment section and bash anyone, but enjoy the rest of your week.


	44. Chapter 44

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily and Alison play a perhaps-realistic game of Sims ━ Sometime after 7x18 ━ Posted as both a one-shot and a Tumblr drabble.

Emily sits on the couch with a laptop resting along her legs, clicking around with an intense look on her face while Alison is partly pressed against her shoulder, though her mind is much more focused on the text she’s sending rather than the game they’ve been  _ trying  _ to play ━ albeit the brunette keeps going back to “buy mode.”

“How much longer until I have the baby?” Alison breathes out as she puts her phone face-down onto the coffee table. “My Sim, I mean,” she expands on the question once her girlfriend turns to her.

“Um…” brown eyes dart to the in-game day of the week, “anytime now, I think.”

Alison stares at their virtual characters running around the house, Emily simply clicking around the given area and deciding what to do next. Suddenly, within seconds, the brunette breathes out and shakes her head with a chuckle following, the girl beside her quirking an eyebrow with an entertained yet questioning grin.

“I still can’t believe you made me search for an actual cheat code to make your Sim pregnant,” Emily begins to laugh harder, afterwards clicking on Alison’s simulated character to follow her around their two-story house.

“Why not?” Alison retorts with a mirrored laugh. “You’re the one who said we have to make it realistic.”

Her girlfriend rolls her eyes but remains silent, the two enjoying their time together. During the quietness, Emily feels Alison shift closer, her head being laid down against the brunette’s shoulder as her fingers gingerly grip the girl’s arm, somewhat playing with the smooth skin beneath her palm.

“Besides,” her voice is softer than it was seconds ago, speaking absentmindedly, “it’s not like our real-life situation is much less complicated. I wouldn’t be shocked if this happened via cheat code.”

A tiny giggle is given in response, Emily turning just barely and kissing Alison’s forehead. The blonde hums at the sensation, snuggling further against the girl she’s been holding a steady relationship with. Another wave of silence falls upon the couple, their eyes staring at the screen before it zooms in on Alison’s character and Emily laughs quietly. At the sound, the blonde shakes her head and waits, muttering, “At least you get to be done with your pregnancy after three days,” at the Sim who is in apparent, severe pain.

Emily bites her lower lip when she hears the subtle, snarky tone, though she smiles because, so far, Alison’s been handling herself quite well and they’ve been working together cohesively ━ not to jinx anything, she internally muses.

“Aren’t you going to do something?” Alison lifts her head and stares at Emily with wide eyes. “Don’t you have to send her to the hospital?”

The girl goes to open her mouth to defend her actions ━ or lack thereof ━ but they’re interrupted by a new, “name your baby” window.

“I can’t believe you let my Sim give birth in the middle of our living room,” blue eyes narrow.

“It’s not like I had a lot of time to think about what to do, Ali.”

“You’re not supposed to. That’s what labor is,  _ Em _ ,” her tone is mocking, Emily making a face.

They both glance back at the screen, Emily sighing before asking, “What do you want to name her?”

“What do you want to name her?”

“I… don’t know,” the brunette partly freezes up, realizing that they haven’t even relatively started to discuss names for their real child.

Alison mimics her demeanor, leaning against Emily’s shoulder again and whispering, “Me neither.”

“I think we can come back to it,” the suggestion is cautious, Alison feeling Emily bow her head. “I’ll just have to find the cheat once we figure out what we  _ actually  _ want to name her,” the statement takes on another meaning, the blonde nodding against her shoulder.

The room’s atmosphere turns nervous, both girls’ thoughts being sped-up because, shit, the fact that they’re going to have to name a  _ human  _ is overwhelming, regardless of how entertaining it could be. Sure, they certainly have time, but it’s mostly about the weight of the situation that’s finally catching up to them, and Alison swallows hard.

“What should we name her until we figure out something more legitimate? She can’t crawl around nameless,” Emily attempts to lighten the mood, getting a breathy, short chuckle from Alison who shifts an inch upwards so she can type with one finger.

Brown eyes study her movements, peering up at the screen once she’s finished and, at the temporary name, she snickers hard. 

“Emily Jr.?  _ Really _ ?”

Alison, on the other hand, doesn’t laugh at what she wrote, and instead moves away from Emily so she can stare at her girlfriend with a straight, serious face. The brunette clicks on the check mark after picking a few traits for their Sim child, side-eyeing the girl beside her before fully turning her head to look at Alison. She notes that her girlfriend appears quiet ━  _ visibly  _ ━ and maybe a shade nervous, or perhaps sheepish.

“I guess this means we should talk about names… for the real baby,” her voice is almost silent but Emily understands completely, eyes darting away while she timidly nods with a rasped “Probably.” 

Neither of them capitalize on the conversation, blue eyes staring into brown as Emily seals her lips in expectancy. Alison, likewise, hopes the girl next to her decides to make a suggestion before she can formulate one, but neither open their mouth to explain what they’re even remotely thinking. Realistically, the blonde gets overwhelmed by the silence ━  _ and  _ situation ━ as her eyes begin to drift away, dotting around the living room until they land on the screen and, within seconds, she has to do a double-take, her eyebrows furrowing.

“Did you delete Emily Jr.?” she sounds nearly betrayed and Emily wants to snort at the tone, though she gets out a cracked “What? No, she’s━” as she turns back to the game, though her sentence is cut short when she sees another window telling them to name their new baby. 

“I  _ thought  _ I entered it,” confusion takes over, Emily’s forehead creasing while the cursor drags along the screen until it lands on their characters’ icons, being towered by  _ two _ , newborn baby pictures ━ both of which they don’t miss  _ whatsoever _ .

Alison shifts in her seat again, looking at Emily whose eyes only briefly glance in her direction.

“Did you enter another cheat while I wasn’t looking?” the blonde asks, feeling paranoid about the twin-girl icons staring back at her.

“No, why would I?” they sit awkwardly, looking ahead at the screen.

“I don’t know,” Alison leans forward so she can see the game’s window more clearly, pausing for three, solid seconds before whispering, “Do you think this is a sign?”

“Ali, it’s a computer game,” Emily says, though something stirs in her stomach equally as much.

“But we went out of our way to make it realistic, remember?”

The brunette can’t find it in herself to respond, leaving the reminder to roll over within the air for a while longer. In the meantime, two pairs of eyes stare at the laptop’s screen adorned with the same, baby-naming window, their thoughts beginning to run rampant. 


	45. Chapter 45

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Post-A.D., Emison fluff and a pair of small heart-to-heart’s ━ Taking place shortly after the final, group scene of 7x19 ━ Posted as both a one-shot and a Tumblr drabble.

Emily sits on the edge of the mattress, watching Alison walk around the room whilst changing her clothes. The blonde seems cheerier, her girlfriend notes, ever since that damn board-game powered down in a way that made the entire room breathe out. She smiles at the thought of everything feeling lighter. Even when they walked into the house roughly twenty minutes after leaving the Lost Woods Resort, the living room creaked as they passed through and, although to some it may seem eerie for a place to appear so silent… to them, it was like a dream.

A.D. is gone. Hopefully forever. 

Okay, Emily breathes out as she reminds herself, forget the concept of hope and understand that A.D. is completely gone; it’s all over. The games, the ultimatums, the silly riddles━ 

“You okay?” Alison’s sweet voice breaks the brunette out of her trance, having been staring at the floor for an extended period of time.

“Hm?” brown eyes dart upward to meet blue. “Oh, yeah. Just… thinking.”

Alison waits a moment, studying Emily before slowly approaching.

“It feels weird, doesn’t it?” she sits down next to her girlfriend, looking at the space in front of them. “A.D. being gone. The whole idea is just…”

“New,” the word comes with fluttering, realizing eyes and a quiet breath to match, the two trying to let things sink in although it’s difficult when, really, all they’ve known are hardships.

“New is good,” Alison lifts her head to look at Emily, simultaneously reaching for her hand and entwining their fingers.

“It’s great,” Emily agrees with a growing smile before it falters. “I just can’t help but have my doubts, I guess. About everything being over.”

“I don’t think they’re doubts,” her tone is insightful, shifting closer and using both hands to hold Emily’s. “I think they’re fears, and we all have them. Maybe we always will,” she tilts her head to the side. “But we can’t let them control our lives.”

Her girlfriend nods, partially shifting her jaw because the idea of always being afraid is draining in its own right, but she’s trying to remain positive since, fuck, this is their first A.D.-free day and she’ll be damned if she ruins the optimism that Alison’s been running on since they left that resort. They both deserve some breathing time and she knows that, so why is it so hard to believe that everything’s over?

“Is there something you’re not telling me?”

Emily raises her eyes to look at Alison when she hears the question, the blonde not appearing upset but visibly understanding ━ knowing, even. The brunette bites her inner cheek and ducks her head a bit, rubbing her thumb against the side of the other girl’s hand as she thinks back to her nightmare from hours prior.

“When we fell asleep on the couch… I had a nightmare,” Emily begins to explain, sounding regretful and quiet while Alison pays attention. “Archer was coming after you, and… we were all there, but…” her mouth opens and closes twice.

She takes a deep breath before continuing, “I couldn’t save you. I could tell it wasn’t real but, God, it felt like it was actually happening and I thought I was losing you. In the dream, I knew that you thought you were losing me too, or maybe, in some way, you could tell that I knew I was losing you but couldn’t stop it. I couldn’t protect you.”

Alison frowns when she hears the sadness laced in Emily’s memory, the girl not sounding choked-up but as if she’s been thinking long and hard about it ━  _ over thinking _ , in fact. 

“As much as I knew I had to protect you in that moment, I couldn’t,” the brunette finishes, feeling like she’s failed in some way, shape, or form.

“Em, you and I both know that, if something like that happened in reality, you’d find a way to protect me,” Alison tries to provide some comfort. “You’re resilient like that,” the statement comes through a small laugh. “Even if you had to search for another, decorative candle stick…” she smiles and her girlfriend matches it, shaking her head.

The blonde holds her hand tighter, “You’re always looking out for me. You’re always finding a way, even if I’m sometimes too stubborn to admit that I need protection.”

Emily nods, swallowing hard.

“It was just a nightmare,” she shifts closer, pressing a lingering kiss to Emily’s cheek. “I’m right here and I’m safe. With you.”

Their smiles grow to mirror each other, Emily turning and mutually leaning in to kiss Alison who hums at the sensation. Once it’s broken, they go back to their former, hand-holding position, the brunette looking at their entwined fingers with the same, dopey grin on her face, feeling as though a weight has been lifted off her chest after confessing to what’s been on her mind for hours. Meanwhile, Alison rubs her lips in thought, trying to figure out what to say but, before she can, Emily beats her to it.

“So,” the brunette looks up, wanting to kiss her girlfriend again but attempting to hold a conversation, “what’s next?”

Alison laughs at the childish, love-drunk smile, contently sighing while looking away.

“Well, I don’t know about you, but I could probably sleep for a good week or so,” she begins to lean backwards, feeling her body hit the mattress before tilting her head to the side to stare at Emily who shifts her position so she can be semi-hunched over the girl below.

“Really?” a short giggle follows the question. “A whole week?” 

“Mhm,” blue eyes sparkle with genuine happiness, Emily loving the sight even though she decides to tease her girlfriend with a narrowed focus.

“I’m not sure that we can take a whole week off of work just to sleep.”

“Maybe  _ you  _ can’t,” Alison seals her lips before laughing at Emily’s confused, judgmental expression.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You don’t have a real excuse to take time off,” the blonde points out. “I’m the pregnant one.”

“That’s not fair,” again, she narrows her eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Alison raises her eyebrows, “would you like our roles to be reversed?” 

Silence, but Emily purses her lips and looks away as much as she can, though she wants to laugh at the question.

“Yeah, I thought so.”

Their teasing, flirtatious banter trails off, the girls welcoming a comfortable silence between them as Emily leans over Alison. They stare at one another, faint smiles across their faces as one of the brunette’s hands plays with her girlfriend’s shirt while holding herself up with the other. After a short pause in their inaudible conversation, Alison brings her hand up and brushes Emily’s hair behind her ear like she’s become accustomed to doing, getting a bigger, lovable smile from the girl who hovers above her.

“I’m sorry, by the way,” Alison whispers out of nowhere, playing with Emily’s hair as the brunette frowns in question. “I’m sorry it took us so long to get here.”

“I didn’t say that to make you feel bad,” she keeps her voice the same level as the other girl’s.

“No, I know,” the blonde licks her lips, “but I am sorry for being so…” she takes a deep breath, “reluctant to understand myself, I guess.”

“You found yourself at your own rate, Ali. Never apologize for that.”

Alison nods, somewhat craning her neck upwards to meet Emily who goes to kiss her, afterwards laying her head back onto the mattress and feeling the brunette entwine their fingers off to the side.

“You’re right here and you’re safe,” Emily’s sheepish grin morphs into something fuller once she repeats her girlfriend’s words from before. “With me.”

They both smile hard, Alison nodding slowly before shyly whispering, “Thank you for waiting for me.”

Emily bites her lower lip for a split second, followed by another kiss being shared as she leans down and remains there for a moment longer, simply lingering above Alison.

“I love you,” Emily’s voice is solid, the two inches of space only allowing her to look into blue eyes just barely.

“I love you too,” Alison gets out right before her lips are sealed again. 


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What could've happened right after Emily and Alison left their friends by the bonfire and before they got into bed, taking place in 7x20 ━ Posted as both a one-shot and a Tumblr drabble.

“I can’t believe you basically just told everyone that we’re ditching to have sex,” Emily snickers as her hand is held tightly by a determined Alison, being dragged down a long hallway within the renovated Lost Woods Resort.

Alison confidently speaks without looking back at her girlfriend, “I’m sure they understand.”

“Are you?” another laugh is shared. “I’m surprised Hanna didn’t flat-out ask if it’s gonna be a quicky. She’s hinted at it before, you know,” she rolls her eyes, more so at the memory because, in that moment, she had done the exact same.

“No quickies tonight,” her voice is airy. “I’m going to take my sweet time with you.”

The blonde’s statement is heavy, weighted with seduction and intent which makes the other girl rub her lips together in a slightly taken aback manner; sure, they certainly haven’t had all that much time alone ever since their two girls came along, but it’s rare that she witnesses this side of Alison ━ not to say she isn’t thrilled to see what the night has in store. Over the most recent months, Alison has ventured into such a comfortable territory regarding her sexuality and relationship with Emily, being completely open with their friends ━ occasionally a bit too open, judging by the way brown, wide eyes stare at her when she over-shares with Hanna ━ and the change is overwhelmingly light, making it seem like this is where they belong.

Emily senses herself tripping further into her mushy thoughts, smiling softly and feeling like hours have passed since they left the group when, in reality, it’s been mere minutes. Her eyes study the re-done hallway, noticing that they’re moving to the absolute end of the resort’s current wing.

“I also can’t believe you got us a room this far away from everyone else,” Emily interrupts the silence with amusement. “Are they staying in the opposite wing?”

Her question is ignored, Alison only chuckling at her blatant teasing.

“How big is this place, anyway?” the brunette continues looking around, the grip on her hand becoming gentler yet still tugging with purpose.

“You’ve seen the place before, Em,” Alison throws over her shoulder. “Why are you acting so surprised?”

“It just… looks bigger now that I’m paying attention.”

“Are you sure that’s the reason?” they reach the wing’s final door, Alison only coming to a stop in front of it and turning to face her girlfriend. “I think you’re just trying to cover up your nerves,” her smirk is accusing, blue eyes narrowed with her chin tilted a fraction upward.

Emily mocks her posture, squinting her eyes and acting like she’s reading the girl in front of her, noticing Alison’s back pressed against the room’s door almost as if she’s trying to delay the night’s impending activities.

“My nerves?” she finally asks with entertainment dripping from her attitude.

“Mhm.”

“What do you think I’m nervous about?”

“What I’m going to do to you once we get inside this room,” it’s so immediate and smooth that Emily raises her eyebrows, amusement dropping but one corner of her mouth turns into a smirk.

“How bold of you,” Emily glances down at their feet and shuffles closer, pretending it’s absentminded but Alison smiles at the tactic, entwining their fingers once they’re only inches away.

Alison slowly leans in to connect their lips, muttering, “Mm, I just know what I want,” right before they kiss.

It’s short but sweet, having heat flowing between them at a rapid rate, and Emily feels it way too much. The sensation of her girlfriend pulling her closer as they’re pressed against the wooden door makes her put barely an inch between their mouths, whispering, “I guess I’ll let you have your way, then.”

For a split second, Alison gives her a shy smile but it drops instantly, the girl partly licking her bottom lip in thought.

“Looks like someone’s just as bold,” she tilts her head to the side, somewhat leaning back against the door to stare into dark, brown eyes.

“I can keep up,” the response comes as she snakes her arm behind Alison’s lower back, pulling her closer while using her other hand to push open the room’s door.

“Are you sure about that?” Alison squints one eye, toying with her girlfriend while simultaneously pulling her into the room by the hem of her shirt.

“Very,” the word comes out as a near-growl, Emily afterwards rubbing her lips together while looking Alison up and down, managing to close the door by using her foot prior to the blonde’s frustration spilling over as she yanks her girlfriend forward.

“Good.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still having such a hard time wrapping my head around PLL being over. It's been a wild ride. I'm still here, though. I'll be sailing this ship for the rest of my life.


	47. Chapter 47

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An immediately-post-proposal, fluffy, Emison-in-bed moment ━ Posted as both a one-shot and a Tumblr drabble.

“All you’re going to think about when you remember the proposal is me wearing a stupid, pug sweatshirt,” Alison pouts and Emily imagines that her fiancée would be sadly kicking a pebble on the sidewalk if they were still kids.

Realistically, they’re lying in bed whilst turned to each other, not even a foot away as Emily chuckles at her unamused statement. Alison rolls her eyes at the sound, feeling genuinely bad because she planned such a nice, romantic date for the event, though the girl resting nearby completely ruined her own surprise. To ease the blonde’s worries, Emily leans forward and kisses her on the nose, backing up and rubbing her lips together while looking at their clasped hands.

“If it makes you feel better, I’ve seen you in worse,” she decides to joke instead, Alison’s jaw dropping a fraction with a curt, disbelieving yet kidding sound falling out.

“Gee, thanks.”

Emily laughs when she realizes how it sounded, “That wasn’t a jab at your wardrobe, Ali. I was hinting at the endless amount of hospital gowns and prison jumpsuits.”

Blue eyes narrow, Alison pursing her lips, “You don’t think I look good in orange?”

“I don’t think you look good  _ behind bars _ ,” her response is pointed, coming through a smile.

“ _ Yeah _ …” she presses her tongue to her inner cheek, eyes drifting away from brown, “hopefully we’re past that.”

“ _ Hopefully _ ?” Emily’s eyes widen, moving her body closer as Alison giggles. “There’s no way you’re going to jail and leaving me to take care of our two girls by myself,” she appears as though she’s serious, Alison giving her a beaming smile because she sounds so cute and the fact that they have a family together will never get old.

The brunette sees the reaction and gains her own, happy expression as it strengthens, though it’s cut off when Alison leans forward and connects their lips for three seconds, afterwards backing up and having a smaller, wiped-out grin on her face.

“Seriously, Alison,” Emily whispers. “You’ve been the only one keeping me grounded throughout this entire, parenting thing.”

“ _ Me _ ?” her eyebrows raise in faux shock. “And here I thought I was acting like a crazy-woman throughout the whole pregnancy.” 

“Oh, you were,” she giggles, “but you still made sure that I kept sane when I thought I wouldn’t. I know you were the one carrying them, but…” she trails off, licking her lips in thought, “some days I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to deal. Even now… it can get overwhelming.”

Alison waits a moment, moving her head against the pillow, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Emily swallows hard, chewing her inner cheek while taking a deep breath and looking into wondering eyes once more. 

“I didn’t want you to worry or think I was beginning to regret anything. I never would.”

Soft smiles are mirrored, Alison brushing some hair out of Emily’s face, “I never would, either.”

The current conversation begins to grow heavy with sentiment and Emily doesn’t want to ruin their night together with grateful tears, so a teasing smirk covers her former, vulnerable grin, finding a way to say, “Well, I hope not. Your recent proposal would seem pretty meaningless, if you did.”

Her fiancée smiles hard at the light joke, but the so-far-deep-in-love reaction dims down, eyes dancing between Emily’s focus and her mouth when she wants to connect their lips again. She pauses, drumming up some type of dramatic effect as Emily waits for her to make a move.

“It had all the meaning in the world.”

They mutually, slowly erase the space between their mouths, nearly pressed together but, beforehand, Emily manages to mumble, “I know.”

Alison hums against her mouth, ready to push her back onto the mattress because the evening’s impactful event is beginning to rattle around within her mind and all she wants to do is seal the memory with a romantic ━ or  _ attempted- _ romantic ━ night together in bed. Only seconds pass as short pecks are shared, threatening to turn into something far deeper and desired, but Emily begins to giggle. In turn, Alison brushes her nose against her fiancée’s, soon backing up with furrowed eyebrows to silently ask what she’s so entertained by.

“All the meaning in the world,” Emily repeats the girl’s words from before, smirk forming as it grows slowly, “even in your pug sweatshirt.” 

Although she appears equally as amused, Alison’s mouth opens in offense, Emily visibly biting the tip of her tongue while attempting to stifle her further laughter. The blonde shakes her head after some time, pursing her lips as the other girl shuffles closer so she’s almost on top of Alison. Now pressed against the mattress, Alison glares at Emily who smiles and leans down, whispering the words “I love you” against her mouth before they’re kissing more than before.

“I love you too,” Alison turns the kiss into short pecks, “but you’re still an ass.”


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emily and Alison find out they're expecting twins, taking place between 7x19 and 7x20 ━ Posted as both a one-shot and a Tumblr drabble.

“I’ll let you look over those for a few minutes,” the woman pushes out of her chair, skillfully pulling her two gloves off and dropping them into a nearby bin. “I’ll be right back.”

Emily partly glances over her shoulder to watch the door close behind the girl, Alison lying in the same, relaxed chair as she has been for around thirty minutes now. They wait in silence, the blonde’s eyes scanning the papers she’s been given regarding proper, self-care while pregnant ━ with  _ twins _ . The fact that they have a separate stack of papers for twins,  _ alone _ , is nerve-wracking ━ but that’s more so Emily’s opinion than Alison’s. Realistically, the brunette is taking this much shakier than her girlfriend, periodically glancing in her direction with wondering eyes and a dumbfounded face, lips parted just barely. 

Alison doesn’t notice, pursing her lips and making a face at the papers before muttering, “I think reading piles upon  _ piles  _ of pamphlets during pregnancy is the worst part. Everyone’s got something to say and it’s never the same. This one is interesting, though…” she sarcastically says while flipping the page, reading with an emphatic tone, “ _ How to know when you need to go to the hospital. _ Isn’t that kind of, like, self-explanatory?”

Emily gives her a gentle snicker, her mind going a mile per minute and causing her to wonder if Alison is covering up her distress by being grumpily playful.

“You’re not having second thoughts, are you?” her dopey grin holds more guilt than it should, not knowing if her girlfriend is panicked over the fact that they’re not only having one baby now, but  _ two _ . 

“Papers don’t bother me  _ that  _ much, Em,” it’s absentminded while she turns another page, the brunette pressing her tongue to her inner cheek.

“That’s not what I meant,” Emily bows her head but peers at Alison through her eyelashes, afraid to make full eye contact once the girl puts the bundle of papers down on a small table next to the padded chair, finally noticing the brunette’s careful nature.

“What did you mean, then?” Alison shifts her position to stare into brown eyes more than prior, hearing an annoying creaking noise when the plasticy padding crunches beneath her.

“Like… you don’t regret going through with this whole… baby thing?”

Not realizing how serious Emily is, Alison raises her eyebrows with a tiny chuckle, “It’s kinda too late to have regrets, isn’t it?”

The response gets a hard swallow from the other girl, Emily’s eyes drifting downward as she fiddles with her hands because, now, she feels ten times more guilty ━ or should she say twice as guilty. She rolls her eyes, more so at herself while Alison’s teasing expression falters further, the blonde’s mouth opening when she understands that the brunette is having some, ridiculous inner battle. They go to speak at the same time, though Alison only gets as far as “Em━” before her girlfriend cuts her off with a caring “Ali, I’m sorry.”

It visibly stuns Alison, her eyes narrowing while her mouth flattens into a straight line, “Wait, why are you sorry? I didn’t mean it.”

She takes a deep breath, “I can’t help but feel like, even if you  _ say  _ you want a family, you wish it happened differently. Or later on.”

Alison cautiously reaches for her hand as the words sink in, feeling their fingers entwine on contact. Her lips rub together in the meantime, trying to think of something to say without coming off as regretful because, honestly, she’s  _ not  _ and needs Emily to understand that.

“In a way, you’re not wrong,” her beginning is firm, Emily paying attention. “Neither of us asked for this. We didn’t plan for someone to take your donated eggs, just to make  _ me  _ pregnant,” she pauses. “And, yeah, we’re young and I know that this is…  _ early _ . Trust me, I do.”

Emily bites her inner cheek as she gives Alison her undivided attention, her focus boring into the blonde’s in case she can detect some sort of hidden lie, though she finds none and it gives her a sense of relief. Alison flashes her a grin, waiting a short moment before continuing with a growing, content expression.

“That doesn’t mean, for one second, that I regret making the decision to carry this baby,” she raises her eyebrows to force the words through Emily’s skull. “Well, these babies,” the afterthought is added, both of them getting out subtle laughs ━ albeit they’re both kind of nervous.

“But you made the decision to carry  _ one _ , Alison,” her concern cracks in the middle, sounding desperate. “It’s different with two. That’s…” the sentence trails off, Emily’s mouth opening and closing. “It’s an even-bigger responsibility.”

“One which I’m excited for,” the smile on her face grows, eyes sparkling and Emily swears that she wants to drown in them. “I  _ want  _ this, Emily. I meant it when I said I want to be a family.” 

The brunette licks her lips in thought, ready to say something, but, before she can, Alison interrupts with a comical “The more, the merrier.”

“Really?” it’s blunt but also a tint hopeful.

“Yes,” she says with conviction, absolutely wrapped-up in the idea of creating a cute, cozy family with the girl she’s loved for a long time ━ no matter how long it took them to get here.

Emily still stares into her eyes, waiting to find some shade of hesitation but, again, finds none. Her wiped-out smile from before begins to grow little by little, Alison gradually matching it because she can tell that the brunette is allowing the idea to sink in more than prior. Their eye contact grows shaky, both wanting to lean in and share a kiss ━ or many ━ so, after an extensive, silent conversation, they do just that. Alison moves against the chair, sliding closer as Emily does the same and pecks her on the lips once, twice, three times. Her girlfriend hums at the sensation, eyes fluttering open once she realizes that the brunette is only lingering a good number of inches away with the same, kissed-away grin on her face. Another, short conversation is held without opening their mouths, Emily going to kiss her a final time but being stopped when a finger is pressed to her lips with a stern attitude being evident. 

“But we’re done having kids after these two,  _ unless  _ you decide you want to take one for the team.” 


	49. Chapter 49

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An alternative scene of Emison admitting their feelings and why they kissed in 7x10 ━ Sometime after 7x11, before 7x14.

This was Alison’s idea. 

This…  _ roadtrip  _ ━ or, well, this “drive” that’s seemingly traveled into the territory known as such, mainly because their trip started during daylight but now all they see is dark road in front of them, only illuminated by the car’s headlights. 

It’s just the two of them, also; no deranged ex-husband, no A.D., no friends. Only the two of them, sitting close yet separated by the center console of Alison’s car. 

Emily would be lying if she said she wasn’t just a wee bit on edge, primarily because her thoughts all circle back to weeks prior when she and Alison shared a world-stopping kiss after some unpleasant information. Since then, they’ve been hopping back and forth with their emotions and how they respond to one another, walking through fire and then chilling on ice when they lock eyes, swallow hard, and get smacked in the face with remembrances of how their lips connected, gently stuck together, and kept going back for more throughout the course of that night. Obviously, Paige’s presence in Rosewood hadn’t eased the blonde’s inner tension and conflicting mechanisms throughout the weeks, particularly when she sees Emily with her ex-girlfriend in giggly, calm fashion. 

If you were to ask Alison, she’d say she wishes she could be that source of serene, flirtatious comedy and relaxation for Emily, just like she’d planned to be years ago after they had finally gotten rid of A, but, as per usual, shit happened. 

All because, in a way, she let it happen.

Her grip on the steering-wheel tightens for a split second, Emily side-eyeing her but minding her business when she turns away to look out the window again. Alison licks her lips in thought, forcing herself to take a breath because, fuck, this miniature vacation is supposed to be eye-opening for them ━ not to mention just that: a vacation ━ even if Emily isn’t all too aware of where they’re going. Heck, neither is Alison; the blonde didn’t really have a plan, and it just sort of happened where she decided they need to pack a bag or two and leave town for a little. Their friends didn’t ask many questions, much to Alison’s relief, but Emily  _ did  _ ask questions, and those were a little more difficult to avoid.

Some came in the form of irritation, like accusations of where they’re going and why it has to be just the two of them. Alison knew, deep down, that the brunette wondered if it was only to get her away from Paige, but, in all honesty, no.

That’s not why. 

Alison wants to roll her eyes at herself, having to take another breath in order to focus.

Emily, likewise, tries getting herself to breathe a little normally, but her chest feels all too heavy due to the circumstances surrounding this trip. She vaguely makes out the shape of wooden signs on the side of the road, however can’t decipher where they’ve ended up; they’re on a country road instead of highway, at this point, and she’s given up on trying to figure out where they’re going ━ but, then again, maybe Alison doesn’t know, either. She never knows. 

The brunette rolls her eyes. 

She  _ wants  _ to enjoy herself, and she  _ wants  _ to enjoy her time with Alison, however the tension between them is palpable and she’s not sure if it’s because they both want to spill what’s been on their minds, or if it’s only mounted frustration from not being able to. She’s tried to explain herself, no doubt, and she’s also attempted to provoke the blonde enough into opening up just enough so they can find some common ground, but Emily can’t help but feel like Alison is waiting for something.

Waiting for something more, or something deeper.

It’s not like Emily can simply  _ give  _ her a reason to take a risk, on the other hand; she’s equally as insecure, especially when it comes to Alison running away like she used to. The truth is, though… that kiss meant the world to her, not because she was kissing Alison- _ freaking _ -DiLaurentis, her forever crush and ideal lover, but because she was able to take care of the one person in her life that needs it more than the rest ━ and the blonde  _ let  _ her. For once, Alison allowed herself to be taken care of, to be coddled and kissed and promised a better future despite how dark the world can be. Emily was amazed; her body felt like it was on fire, and it only continued when she woke up the next morning to that same girl cuddled into her side, like that’s where they’re supposed to be. 

But that’s where it stopped.

Once Emily snuck back inside the DiLaurentis house with a head full of anger as a result of Paige’s impromptu visit, Alison wasn’t that girl anymore. She wasn’t cold, no, but she was… closed off, as if she forced herself to become so in case the brunette was the one to run, this time. After all, they were no longer silly teenagers and, suddenly, there was a baby on the way ━ one which hadn’t been planned, or even genuinely wanted ━ plus there’s the matter of Paige offering Emily something solid, something deeper.

Maybe Alison wouldn’t be able to keep up, and Emily knew that’s what the girl thought because, when she later offered more help in the form of staying another night, she received nothing but a quick and dishonest  _ “I’ll be fine alone, it’s okay. You’ve been a big help, Em. It’s just… this is something I’m going to have to get used to”  _ paired with a forced smile. 

Emily didn’t believe her, but she couldn’t push; her experience with Alison stressed the notion that she shouldn’t shove the girl into accepting support ━ especially  _ her  _ support, after everything they’d gone through and the feelings they’d dealt with. 

This trip has been different, though. In light of what’s been going on, how they’ve been handling it as individuals and occasionally together… Alison has periodically eased Emily’s hesitations about being alone by doing such simple things ━ such mindless and silly things that the brunette couldn’t help but grin at without commenting on.

During the first half of this trip, as sunlight still warmed the car and more people were passing them on the highway, they found themselves singing to old songs that debuted when they were in high school, a few of which came out when Alison was still on the run. Some minutes, their singing became emphatic, the two girls feeling comfortable and weightless with one another whilst forgetting about what they’d left behind in Rosewood this morning. Stories were thrown back and forth, after that ━ some ridiculously random and others they wish they didn’t have to tell, in the first place. They shared snacks, too, mostly by Alison asking Emily to feed her every now and again as the brunette trapped her tongue between her teeth to keep herself from giggling like a child ━ then again, that’s what she felt like, and it’s been the best thing to happen in recent days. 

All of it reminded her of the handful of field trips they went on together, early in high school, and how Alison always opted to sit next to her on the bus when she could’ve chosen just about anyone, feeling comfortable together. Emily was always her go-to. And, to this day, Emily prides herself on the fact that, with every other option available, she was still Alison’s source of comfort. The girl would sit next to her without a word, as if automatically, and she’d stay quiet until approximately a half hour into the trip, a soft humming coming from her throat to the tune of some mainstream song. 

Emily looked at her once, remembering clearly how Alison turned to her, blue eyes glistening like she’d been caught, and the brunette could’ve sworn that her friend’s once-in-a-lifetime timid persona cascaded a pinkish shade over her cheekbones; for the first time ever, Emily saw Alison as someone equal to her, simply enjoying life’s simple pleasures in the form of a “boring” class trip. If you asked Alison, she’d own up to it: class trips aren’t boring if you sit next to someone whose aura is a default level of serenity.

The memory doesn’t stop there, however; a time or two, Emily recalls the blonde scooting down the seat so she could nap comfortably when the bus drove for over two hours, and Emily had to stifle a smile when she heard a round of quiet snores until Alison’s nose scrunched up and she shifted. It’s like she had lulled herself to sleep by humming her favorite songs next to the person who kept her safe, mimicking that of pure innocence in the form of a kitten untainted by the outside world. Long gone was the girl that existed before they stepped onto the bus, like they’d entered a different dimension or boarded the Magic School Bus and were traveling through some warped black hole.

If there was ever a pinpointed time or instance where Emily’s existence tilted, nudging her in the direction of finally understanding and accepting who she is before she’d later be forced out of the closet... it was during one of those field trips. The thought was terrifying. The feeling was even worse. Emily physically felt sick at one point, remembering it clearly: it was after the bus ride when the small groups of students were assembled for individual tours, and she couldn’t get Alison off her mind despite being split from the girl. It was overwhelming, and she could’ve cried. Surely Alison didn’t feel the same, and she’d made that clear. 

But, finally, when Emily looked up from where she stood, previously boring her eyes into the marble floor of the museum, she witnessed that same innocence; Alison was looking up at a statue, left behind by her group, fingers wringing in front of her in such a nervous manner, and her eyes sparkled with...  _ something _ . Emily smiled. In light of every bittersweet emotion and recollection, every persistence to avoid her true feelings, she smiled at the girl who made her heart sing, and maybe...  _ just maybe _ ... eventually, Alison would make that harsh self-growth worth it. That was proven when the blonde’s gaze drifted away from the statue and she turned, eyes locking with Emily’s and, instead of running away, she smiled mutually. And she must’ve felt the seriousness of it, too; reserved and choked-up, Alison took a deep breath and hesitantly disrupted the eye contact so she could find those who left her, but it was the least bit rejecting to Emily. She smiles the same as she did back then.

Looking back, with the acceptance that the blonde has always had an exceptionally tough time showing and proving her feelings and true intentions, the love has always been there. The little things she’s done, like those times she’d sat next to Emily and allowed the brunette to see that vulnerable side of her when no one else could — when she otherwise only let that fragile side out when no one could see — or when Alison would actually lean on her for support, both physically and emotionally... she’s always loved her.

It’s the little things, and reading between the lines.

Even now, as the blonde is in such a clusterfuck of just about every emotion ever thought-up and felt, her smaller actions still speak volumes, like choosing to bring Emily on this trip above anyone else — no matter the brunette’s few dismissive responses to the invitation. Really, they both knew she wanted to go, but what it’d potentially mean after that somewhat-recent, sudden kiss, after Alison’s clear jealousy toward Paige coming back into Emily’s life... that’s too much to even theorize around. She’s tired.

Why can’t things be as simple as they were during those days of field trips and old museums? Even with teenage feelings that always seemed way too complicated.

Emily swallows hard, remembering the statue Alison had stood at the base of, just picturing the blonde unmoving as her eyes roamed the stone. It was a statue portraying an artist’s depiction of Aphrodite; their own way of showing what love is, and beauty, and everything personal. Everyone has their own way of portraying love. 

She lifts her chin; it’s always the little things, and reading between the lines.

Years later, and she’s still reading between the lines, also being reassured that Alison always loved her — even if neither of them knew it, or understood how to accept it. The blonde has always wanted something deeper, mainly now as they’re older and more open, more understanding and, sure, sometimes a little spontaneous. But what about their insecurities? What about the risk they’re taking by simply acknowledging the fact that there’s more between them than just occasional kisses and frustration? What about what they left behind once A was caught years ago, and what about what they left behind just this morning? The reality of it… all of it…

There’s a film of silence that falls over the car, only emphasized as no other vehicles pass them on the dirt, country road. It begins to empty the brunette’s lungs as an impulse comes over her, the engine sounding like it’s underwater — or maybe she’s the one underwater, floating in a sort of limbo until finally—

“I love you.”

What’s an insecurity when you  _ know  _ you’re safe with someone?

Alison hears the solid, unreadable proclamation as her heart all but stops, almost having a solid second of forgetting how to drive, but she manages to keep her body calm in spite of it wanting to turn into jelly. Her lips part, caught off-guard by the girl’s words. 

Emily’s mouth mutually opens, though just barely, mildly stunned by her own admission as she stares out the windshield; her features don’t resemble that of shock, though, and the blonde only catches a glimpse of someone who’s sincere and unchanging of a big revelation.

“What?” Alison finally gets out, quiet but not dismissive; she sounds curious and hopeful, like she’d been dreaming about hearing those words for the longest time but they’ve never come until now, but it’s times like these where she thinks she’s still dreaming.

The brunette goes to say it again, but, this time, it gets stuck, so she takes in a shaky breath as her eyes close and her head bows. She hasn’t been able to look the blonde in the eye since the words came from her mouth, feeling like it’s been a century, and her chest feels like it’s constricting. 

Alison doesn’t want to let it go, though; she can’t afford to ━ not when they’ve come so far and  _ not  _ when she’s been waiting to hear the other girl say something this massive. There are so many ways to show someone you love them, but hearing the words can be different to some. Sometimes, they’re imperative.

“Where did that come from?” the blonde’s lips tremble as she speaks, fingers also twitching against the steering wheel as they pass miles of countryside in the dark.

Evidently, something’s been playing on a loop in Emily’s mind since they’d hardly spoken for the past however-many minutes, much less about their feelings which they haven’t touched upon in weeks. She figured the girl was afraid ━ she probably  _ is  _ afraid ━ and Alison doesn't blame her; she feels it, too, but perhaps this spur-the-moment confession is how they’ll be able to finally get things out in the open and find themselves on the same page. She wants it to happen, and wishes she had the stomach to do so, earlier. Maybe that’s an embedded reason of why she made Emily take this random trip with her, even. 

“I don’t know,” it comes through a whisper, eyebrows raised in a newfound shock like it’s finally hit her that this is happening, “but I had to say it.”

Internally, she  _ does  _ know, as her mind rifles through each and every memory that she’s replayed during the course of this trip, and how things felt like this is where they’re supposed to be when they were singing with one another and sharing mindless stories. She smiles again, but it’s so nerve-wracking that she ducks her head and Alison glances in her direction.

“Did you mean it?”

Emily notes how small the blonde’s voice sounds, like she’s begging her not to take it back and pleading that they’ll be able to move past this weird, awkward level of not knowing how to act around one another when remembering what they’ve been through.

For the first time since her confession, she’s able to look in Alison’s direction, muttering a serious yet cautious “Yeah, I did” before adding a final “I do.” 

The other girl only nods, unintentionally discouraging Emily bit by bit when she doesn’t get an ounce of mutual affection or even a mere response, however it’s all bundled into the reaction of furrowed eyebrows when Alison pulls the car over and parks on the side of the road. It’s not like anyone else is driving even relatively near them ━ in fact, they haven’t seen another car in over forty minutes ━ but Emily can hardly see any of their surroundings, so her nerves spike higher.

Alison shuts the car off and unbuckles, inhaling deeply before leaning her head back. Emily undoes her seatbelt, as well, but doesn’t turn to the blonde; if she wasn’t so determined to speak her mind, her eyes would be welling up with tears and she’d feel angry at the lack of reply, but, instead, her exhaustion consumes her. She knows she shouldn’t have waited this long, and only feels blame toward herself. 

Five, heavy minutes pass before Alison turns in the driver’s seat, shoulder pressing into the fabric as she leans against the headrest with her eyes zoned in on the girl next to her. Emily tries to ignore the new position, frozen with her posture stiff, hands in her lap while looking like she’s zoned out, facing the dirt road ahead of them. 

“Why now?”

Alison’s voice is heard, low yet interested, sounding a little bit amused by the setting in which Emily blurted out something so new to them ━ something prior unsaid, at least.

She can’t respond, not knowing how to begin to explain what she’s been thinking about as they sat next to each other. Instead, lips purse and Alison sees, continuing to wonder what’s going on. Actually, in the next moment, it looks like the blonde wants to say something else, mouth opening as Emily turns to look at her, but blue eyes drift off before the girl is rubbing her forehead and sealing her lips. 

“Look, Ali,” Emily shakes her head slightly, thinking aloud, “I know you said you’re not sure why you kissed me that night, and I’m not going to make you tell me. That’s something you have to figure out for yourself.” 

The other girl shifts her jaw, playing with her fingers as she’s still turned in the seat, and Emily continues, “But I should’ve told you why I kissed you back.”

Alison looks up, curious but her expression is merely soft, not revealing. 

“After everything… after what we’d gone through, and then me leaving Rosewood while you stayed, and my father’s passing…” Emily begins, biting her inner cheek for a second, “there’s always been one constant thing ━ or  _ person  _ ━ in my life, and that’s you. I appreciate the girls, and my family, but… you’ve always been the one person on my mind, even when I didn’t want you to be. Even when I was with other people, and…” 

She stops herself, swallowing hard.

“No matter what’s going on around us, everything always points back to you,” Emily gives the universe a quiet laugh, and Alison gives her a semi-regretful grin, feeling a tinge guilty.

For a few seconds, they stew in Emily’s words, each girl trying to figure out if there’s something they can say to move the conversation along when they’re stuck in a spot that’s more frustrating than anything. 

The short period of silence is cut short, thankfully, when Emily explains, “That night, I felt like you finally let me in. Like, after everything… you needed me as much as I know I need you. And you can try saying that I don’t need you, and  _ I  _ can even try telling myself that, but after years… I’m tired of fighting off what I already know I can’t.” 

Alison feels tears spring into her eyes, but she manages to keep them at bay as the conversation takes a change in tempo, Emily giving another, quiet and disbelieving chuckle to the universe.

“I’ve always had this idea that we’d find our way back to each other, even if we were never really together, in the first place. Maybe it’s silly, I don’t know━”

“It’s not silly,” Alison mutters, and Emily nods at nothing in particular.

“You always knew how I felt for you,” the brunette continues, “or how I  _ do  _ feel, but I know I’ve never directly told you, and I should’ve.”

Alison bows her head.

“So, being here… with only you, now in the middle of nowhere…” Emily sighs while glancing around, starting a new sentence. “I couldn’t stop thinking about everything. Every small thing that’s ever happened between us, and how I always tried figuring out what you were feeling or why you were doing the things you did.”

“I don’t always have a reason for what I do.”

It’s not what Emily wanted to hear ━ not at all ━ but it was honest, and perhaps that’s all she can ever hope for when it comes to what they are, or what they’ll be. 

Alison can see the way the brunette’s eyes sadden, how they lower to where her feet are pressed to the floor of the car. The expression changes, however, once the blonde reaches out for Emily’s cheek, her thumb stroking the girl’s skin as she’s turned to so they can lock eyes. There’s still a surrounding cloud of sadness masking the way Emily reacts, and Alison rubs her lips together because all it does it break her heart to know that she’s caused the brunette so much pain no matter how hard she stresses the fact that it’s for both of their protection. But what’s the use in protecting someone if it’s what causes them the most pain? She can’t do it anymore; she can’t keep causing both of them pain.

Without another second of thinking, Alison slowly shakes her head and blinks hard as Emily studies the obvious, internal conflict written across the girl’s features, right before it’s gone and blue eyes are staring at her with that same vulnerability she had witnessed on their field trip, years ago. 

Only the moonlight allows her to see much, but she watches the other girl cautiously push herself forward as the hand on her cheek brings them closer together, and suddenly even the moonlight is gone once her eyes flicker shut. She feels her body take in a sharp breath just as soft lips press against hers in a chaste kiss above the center console, moving timidly yet with decision that there’s no more  _ what if _ ’s, or potential heartbreak, or insecurity, or miscommunicated protection. No more missing what’s between the lines, or how someone shows their love. No more dancing around their feelings, or pretending they don’t exist.

Emily feels Alison’s fingertips drift away from her cheek, the blonde pulling away so she can see brown eyes finally flutter open. When Emily is able to focus, the girl in front of her is wearing a childish smirk, just barely revealing that their conversation has gone from something so deep, so terrifying, to what they’ve always wished for: something open and lovable.

“I don’t always have a reason for what I do,” Alison repeats, “but, sometimes… I do.”

They only stare at each other, the blonde cautiously reaching out and tucking some stray hairs behind Emily’s ear before gently rubbing the pad of her thumb along the girl’s lower lip. 

“ _ This time _ , I do,” she reiterates, Emily waiting, “and it’s the same reason I had, that night.”

The attentiveness on the brunette’s face is endearing, like they’re the only two people in the world ━ just another portrayal of love, and it’s something that only Emily has been able to give Alison for the extent of her life. No matter who she’s been with, who she’s kissed, or unfortunately married. No matter who she’s trusted with her heart and had likely gotten burned by, or no matter how long she’s tried to ignore that it’s always been Emily…

It  _ has  _ always been Emily. 

“I love you too.” 


End file.
